Sixties Scoop survivors who have had their claims approved will be receiving $21,000 as an interim payment.
This comes after the Federal Court of Canada approved an order on June 1 allowing Collectiva, the claims administrator, to release the payments.
On March 16, Collectiva suspended the denial of claims due to COVID-19. This created a backlog and delay in issuing the full payments to class members.
The settlement, approved two years ago, states that all class action members are eligible for an equal payment. The amount of that payment depends on the number of successful applications. Collectiva received 34,767 applications to get a piece of the $750-million pie.
If there are between 20,000 and 30,000 claims approved, each person is entitled to $25,000. If there are more than 30,000 claims, then the $750 million will be divided equally among the final number of applicants.
- Read more: ‘Not everybody can afford to wait’: Payments for Sixties Scoop survivors delayed by COVID-19
As of March 16, Collectiva approved 12,551 claims. These people will be receiving the interim payments while the Collectiva works its way through the remaining claims to determine the final payment amounts.
Any survivors who have their claims approved in the coming weeks and months will also be paid $21,000.
Doug Lennox is a lawyer with Klein Lawyers, one of the four law firms representing survivors in the settlement.
“Because of this decision, it will take a little longer to determine the total number of eligible applications and, therefore, the final individual payment amount that each person will ultimately receive,” he said in a news release. “Class members deserve and are owed justice. The interim payment is about keeping that process of justice moving. It’s the right thing to do.”
Ontario court approves order
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice is also presiding over the settlement. On June 2, the court also approved the interim payment order.
This means survivors who have had their claims accepted will start to receive the $21,000 payments in the coming weeks.
The courts have also removed the deadlines for survivors who received a rejection notice in February or March of this year,
NWT claimants can call Koskie Minsky, the law firm in charge of handling the settlement in the territory, including rejection letters, at 1-855-595-2626.
You can also visit the Sixties Scoop Settlement website for more information.
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Open in new tab Updated June 2, 9:30 a.m. with information about Ontario court approving the payment order.
