First Claims Period for First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle Settlement to open March 10, 2025

TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2024 /CNW/ - Class Members of the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle Settlement will be able to submit their Claims for compensation starting on March 10, 2025.

The first Claims Period to open is for the Removed Child Class and the Removed Child Family Class, which represent two of nine Classes included in the Settlement. These first two Classes include First Nations individuals who were removed from their homes as Children between April 1, 1991, and March 31, 2022, while on reserve or in the Yukon and placed into care funded by Indigenous Services Canada, as well as their Caregiving Parents or Caregiving Grandparents.

When the first Claims Period opens, Removed Child and Removed Child Family Class Members can make their Claim for compensation by submitting a Claim Form to the Administrator. Until then, compensation is not available.

Individuals who are adults (Age of Majority) as of March 10, 2025 will have three years from the date the Claims Period opens to submit their Claim; however, minors (those who have not reached Age of Majority as of March 10, 2025) will have three years from the date they reach the Age of Majority to submit their Claim.

"Class Members can take steps now to prepare for when the Claims Period opens," says David Sterns, Class Counsel, partner at Sotos LLP and member of the Settlement Implementation Committee. "If you are planning to submit a Claim, we encourage you to start getting ready for the Claims Period by making sure you have government-issued identification and a mailing address. You should also have a bank account in your name so that the Administrator can deposit compensation directly into your account."

Class Members will not have to pay anyone to help them submit their Claim to receive payment under this Settlement.

Several resources and supports will be available at no cost to help Class Members submit a Claim. Currently, the Settlement's Contact Centre (1-833-852-0755) is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. ET, excluding statutory holidays. Once the Claims Period opens, the Contact Centre will also be able to connect Class Members to Claims Helpers, who can provide one-on-one support with completing the Claim Form virtually or in-person, where available. Claims Helpers can also assist Class Members with connecting to local services and wellness resources.

General information and updates about the Settlement and the Claims Process are available to Class Members through the First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle website. Class Members who have questions about the Settlement can also contact the Administrator at 1-833-852-0755.

Mental health counselling and crisis support is available to Class Members 24 hours a day through the Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 or at the Hope for Wellness website. Counselling is available in English, French, Cree and Ojibway upon request. Children and youth can also call the Kids Help Phone anytime at 1-800-668-6868 or text FIRSTNATIONS to 686868.

About

The First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle Settlement Agreement was approved by the Federal Court on October 24, 2023, and intends to compensate those harmed by discriminatory underfunding of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program and those impacted by the federal government's narrow interpretation of Jordan's Principle. The $23.34 billion Settlement Agreement followed compensation orders from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2019, which addressed systemic discrimination against First Nations Children and families.

For more information, please contact: 
Deborah Perne
Media Relations, Castlemain
First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan's Principle Settlement
Email: [email protected]
Media line: 1-877-360-1557

SOURCE First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle Settlement