News Regulation & Guidelines
First Nations drinking water settlement claim period’s deadline three months away

Eligible class members have three months remaining to submit a claim for compensation in the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement.

The deadline is March 7, 2024. Compensation is available for both First Nations communities and individual class members who are members of First Nations and were subject to a drinking water advisory that lasted at least one year between Nov. 20, 1995, and June 20, 2021. There will be compensation available for individual class members who experienced specified injuries while following the drinking water advisories.

“There is still time for individuals and communities impacted by drinking water advisories to make a claim for compensation,” Darian Baskatawang, associate, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP and class counsel for the First Nations Drinking Water Class Action Settlement Agreement, said. “Given the high take-up rate in communities, and since the deadline has already been extended, there will be no further extensions. If you need help making your claim, there are resources available at firstnationsdrinkingwater.ca or you can give the administrator a call at 1-833-252-4220.”

“Minors, persons under disability and people who passed away after Nov. 20, 2017, are also eligible for compensation, and we encourage their representatives to apply on their behalf,” Baskatawang added.

Some individuals have started to receive eligibility letters and compensation, but the process may take longer for others. Factors that may cause extra claims processing time include incomplete claim submissions, the need for additional information, the submission of multiple claims for a single individual, or claims submitted on behalf of a minor or with specified injuries. This visual chart provides more information on the steps involved in the processing of a claim.

Claimants will receive confirmation of receipt of their claim in one of two ways. Those who submitted their claims through email, regular mail, or fax, will receive a letter by mail, while those who submitted their claims online will receive an email.

If individuals are unsure whether their First Nation is part of the settlement, they can check the list of Impacted First Nations on the website. There is a court-approved protocol to assess eligibility of First Nations requesting to be added to the settlement agreement as impacted First Nations, which is in place until March 7, 2024. Contact the administrator at 1-833-252-4220 for more information about the court-approved process.