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Settlement Background
The Île-à-la-Crosse School (also sometimes called the Île-à-la-Crosse Mission School, Île-à-la-Crosse residential school, or just the Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School) operated from around 1860 to 1975-76. It was one of Canada’s first boarding schools for Indigenous children. The students were primarily Métis, as well as First Nations children from Northern Saskatchewan.
The plaintiffs of the class action lawsuit argued that the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan contributed to the funding, oversight, management, and control of the Île-à-la-Crosse School but failed to protect them from harm while attending the school.
Both the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan have acknowledged that everyone who attended the Île-à-la-Crosse School suffered harm and some of the students were abused.
On April 29, 2026, the Court approved the settlements for the class action and set the start date of the claims period as June 1, 2026.
Class members
There are two types of class members:
Survivor Class :
A person who was alive on December 9, 2003, and who attended as a student or for educational purposes at the Île-à-la-Crosse School during the class period, including day students (“day schoolers”).
Family Class:
A spouse, parent, child, grandchild, or sibling of a Survivor Class Member.
This lawsuit is limited to things that happened at, or because of, the Île-à-la-Crosse School and residence from when it opened until it closed around 1975-76 (the class period). This includes things that happened at temporary facilities that were used when the school or residence were periodically shut down, before 1975-76, due to damage.
Canada's settlement
The settlement with the Government of Canada includes Experience Payments for Survivors and a Legacy Fund.
- Experience Payments totaling $27.335 million
- Up to $10,000 for Survivors who attended the school for up to four years; or
- Up to $15,000 for Survivors who attended the school for 5 or more school years
- Legacy Fund for language, cultural, wellness, and community projects for Survivors and their families, totaling $10 million, plus any money remaining from the Experience Payments fund
Saskatchewan’s settlement
The settlement with the Government of Saskatchewan includes $40.2 million that will be used for:
- Payments of $50,000–$235,000 for Survivors who experienced serious physical or sexual abuse
- Possible extra Experience Payments for residence students if funds remain
