Former students of Île-à-la-Crosse School can now apply for settlement compensation payments
Press Release
From: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan (June 1, 2026) — Today, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Rebecca Alty issued the following statement:
“Former students of Île-à-la-Crosse School may now apply for settlement compensation payments. Through this compensation process, we seek to recognize the harms experienced by Survivors, as well as their families and communities, who attended or were affected by the Île-à-la-Crosse School. The school operated from the 1860s to the 1970s and primarily served Métis and First Nations students from northern Saskatchewan. Together, we have worked to find a fair, compassionate, and respectful resolution to this litigation.
Information about the application process, including the claim form and available supports, is available on the Île-à-la-Crosse School Settlement website at https://ilexsettlement.ca.
Claims will be accepted starting June 1, 2026, for one calendar year, and payments to Survivors are anticipated to begin in the coming months. Under the Settlement Agreement with Canada, Survivors may receive compensation of up to $10,000 for less than five years of attendance and up to $15,000 for five or more years. Survivors may be awarded compensation for abuses under the Settlement with Saskatchewan. The administrator may contact applicants to obtain additional information if needed. Payments will continue until all eligible claims received within the one-year claim period have been processed.
In addition, we have committed $10 million to support healing, wellness, the protection of languages, education, and commemoration for former students of Île-à-la-Crosse School and their families. A new independent non-profit organization will be established to manage these funds, including reviewing applications and determining eligibility criteria. We will share further details with Survivors and communities in the coming months.”
More information is available on the Île-à-la-Crosse School Settlement website at https://ilexsettlement.ca. Questions should be directed by email to info@ILEXSettlement.ca or by calling the toll-free number: 1-833-700-7458.
Contacts
For more information, media may contact:
Alec Wilson
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Rebecca Alty
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
alec.wilson@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca
Media Relations
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@sac-isc.gc.ca
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