Federal Indian Hospital class-action settlement provides $10K to $200K for eligible individuals

Compensation is to former patients who suffered verbal, psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse at a Federal Indian Hospital decades ago


Nurse Emily Stillwell, left, and tuberculosis patient Ella Gordon from Aklavik in 1960 at the Charles Camsell Indian Hospital in Edmonton. (Photo: Emily Stillwell via NWT Archives)

Ottawa has agreed to provide individual compensation to former patients who suffered verbal, psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse at a Federal Indian Hospital.

In the NWT, that means people in the 1940s to the 1980s sent to facilities such as Edmonton’s Charles Camsell Indian Hospital, Fort Simpson Indian Hospital, or Inuvik Indian Hospital.

Canada has also agreed to provide $150 million to support healing, wellness, reconciliation, protection of languages, education and commemoration activities, as well as $235.5 million to support research, education, and preservation of the history of the Indian Hospitals, stated a release.

Indigenous Services Canada will also be providing $150 million to extend existing mental health and wellness supports.

The parties will seek approval of the proposed Settlement Agreement from the Federal Court of Canada on June 10 to 11.

If approved by the Court, compensation and other benefits will be available to eligible class members.