Returned Legal Fee Funds to the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund

Press Release

In a Notice shared with beneficiaries of the Robinson Huron Treaty, it was stated that:

On October 28, 2025, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice reduced the legal fees that the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (“RHTLF”) paid its lawyers from $510 million to $23 million. The Court found that the lawyers’ fees were neither fair, nor reasonable.

Together with fees paid earlier, the lawyers will receive a total of approximately $40 million. However, the court directed that $487 million, plus interest, be returned to the RHTLF, to be dealt with as proceeds from the settlement reached with Canada and Ontario.

The lawyers have indicated that they will appeal the Court’s decision, but that they will not be seeking a stay to pause the distribution of $487 million, plus interest, as settlement proceeds.

As a result, the funds returned to the RHTLF will be distributed as those funds become available, as though they were part of the proceeds of the settlement reached with Canada and Ontario.

The RHTLF would like to clarify the process involved in this.

It is important to understand that there are two (2) pools of money involved here.

One is the $255 million which was the ‘give back’ by the Legal Team of the Robinson Huron Treaty annuities case/settlement. These funds have been held in trust by the RHTLF since last year and have been/are invested in securities such as GICs. The RHTLF cannot disburse these funds until those investments mature. That is expected by mid-summer 2026. It is also important to note that if the Legal Team’s appeals of Justice Myers’ decision are successful, and the Court of Appeal decides that the Legal Team should be paid more than Justice Myers found to be owing, the additional amount owing will be paid out of this pool of money.

The second pool of money is the $232 million which is the amount of legal fees Justice Fred Myers ordered the Legal Team to return to the RHTLF. These funds, plus $16.2 million in interest, are being disbursed in accordance with RHTLF’s approved process.

Furthermore, it needs to be made clear that the funds will NOT be distributed directly to individuals/beneficiaries. The funds will be disbursed pursuant to the Compensation Disbursement Agreement (CDA) which is an agreement among the RHT First Nations governing how funds are disbursed. This means that the funds will (subject to holdbacks for the Collective Set Aside 5% Fund and 1% Living Annuitant Fund) be given to the RHT First Nations which then will determine what to do with those funds.

RHTLF will continue to provide updates when available.

Miigwech. Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund – Litigation Management Committee

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