Court approves settlements in the Île-à-la-Crosse School class action

SASKATOON, SK (June 1, 2026) — The Court has approved settlements in the Île-à-la-Crosse School class action. Eligible Survivors and heirs of Survivors can begin submitting applications for compensation starting June 1, 2026.

The settlements address harms experienced by Survivors who attended the Île-à-la-Crosse School and residence, which operated from approximately 1860 to 1976.

“These agreements are the culmination of years of effort and determination by the plaintiffs and steering committee,” said Margaret Waddell, Class Counsel for the class action. “Their work helped ensure that Survivors and their families were heard and that meaningful compensation could be achieved.”

The approved settlements have a total value of $92,140,000, which will be used to compensate Survivors, establish a Legacy Fund for future projects, and pay for settlement administration, legal fees, and honoraria.

The Legacy Fund will fund projects for healing, wellness, reconciliation, education, language, and commemoration projects for Survivors, their families, and their communities.

The agreements with the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan were presented to the Court at a public hearing held March 30–31, 2026. The Court determined the settlements are fair and in the best interests of Survivors and their family members.

Survivors and their family members have the right to opt out if they do not want to be bound by the results of the class action, and do not want to participate in the settlements. Survivors who opt out will not be able to apply for compensation from the settlements. Instead, Survivors who opt out will maintain their right to bring their own lawsuits against Canada or Saskatchewan for harms experienced while attending the Île-à-la-Crosse School. If an individual wishes to opt out, and not receive compensation under the settlements, they must submit an Opt-Out Form to the Administrator by August 30, 2026.

To learn more about eligibility and how to submit an application for compensation, visit www.ILEXSettlement.ca and sign up to receive email updates.

Survivors and their family members will never be asked to provide personal information related to their application by anyone other than Class Counsel, the Administrator (Deloitte), or a Claims Helper (Castlemain). If someone contacts a Survivor or their family members directly requesting personal information about these settlements, they should contact the Administrator at info@ILEXSettlement.ca or 1-833-700-7458. Survivors and family members can learn more about fraud prevention at www.ILEXSettlement/Fraud-Awareness.ca.

Deborah Perne
1-647-499-6455
Media@Contact.ILEXSettlement.ca