Who does the settlement affect?
On December 22, 2021 the Federal Court and Manitoba Court of King’s Bench approved a settlement on behalf of the following people:
- Impacted First Nations that had known long-term drinking water advisories in the time frames covered by the settlement. A ‘long-term drinking water advisory’ means one that lasted for a year or longer. Those First Nations are identified here: https://firstnationsdrinkingwater.ca/index.php/who-can-submit/#eligibilitylists; and
- Individuals who suffered significant and prolonged health problems that harmed their quality of life and disrupted their wellbeing and/or daily activities, and the health problems were directly caused by the drinking water advisory, either because they used treated or tap water in accordance with the advisory but still got sick, or because they didn’t have proper access to treated or tap water. They types of Specified Injuries can be identified here: https://firstnationsdrinkingwater.ca/index.php/who-can-submit/#eligibilitylists
What is in the settlement?
- $1.8 billion in compensation to individuals and Impacted First Nation(s);
- An additional $50 million allocated for eligible individuals who experienced Specified Injuries due to drinking water advisories that lasted at least one year between November 20, 1995, and June 20, 2021;
- $6 billion to support construction, upgrading, operation, and maintenance of water infrastructure on First Nations land;
- A renewed commitment to Canada’s Action Plan for the lifting of all long-term drinking water advisories;
- Planned modernization of Canada’s First Nations drinking water legislation;
- The creation of a First Nations Advisory Committee on Safe Drinking Water; and
- Support for First Nations to develop their own safe drinking water by-laws and initiatives.
- Canada has agreed to make all reasonable efforts to support the removal of long-term drinking water advisories and will spend at least $6 billion by March 31, 2030, to implement this commitment by funding the actual cost of construction, upgrading, operation, and maintenance of water infrastructure in First Nations communities.
What do I have to do and by when?
In order to qualify for compensation, class members must submit a claims application on or before March 7, 2024. To submit a claim, visit the class action website.
We encourage you to review the important links and documents posted below to learn more about this class action and settlement. Questions regarding the settlement can be directed towards class counsel, the claims administrator, or the Class Action Clinic.
