Estates

You will need personal information, government-issued identification (photo ID if you have it) for the person who passed away, and what you can remember about their admission to one of the 33 Federal Indian Hospitals.

Information about Hospital Admission

• Name of the Federal Indian Hospital
• Approximate dates of admission
• Additional details (if known)

Details about their experience

• Information about psychological, verbal, physical, and/or sexual abuse experienced during admission
• Additional details known to the Representative

Payment Details

• Where compensation can be sent if the Claim is approved

Records are not required, but if you have them, they may help the Claims Administrator review the Claim. Send copies only, never originals.

As part of the Claim, you will be asked to identify the Federal Indian Hospital the person who passed away was admitted to. If they attended more than one, there are spaces to include that information.

You will be asked questions about their experience. You will also be asked to identify the Level of harm they experienced at a Federal Indian Hospital. Detailed information is included in the Claim Form.

There are no oral interviews. You choose what to share and how much to write. Free supports are available to help.

As an Estate Representative, or an Heir, you will need to complete Appendix C: Deceased Claimant – Estate Representative in addition to the main sections of the Claim Form.

Claims Helpers are available to help you.

You’ll need to provide proof of the deceased person’s identity, their death and your authority to act on behalf of the Estate. This includes:

Proof of death

• Death certificate
• Funeral home documentation
• Medical certificate of death
• Coroner’s report
• Other official documentation showing the date of death

A Grant of Authority is a document that proves you are acting for the Estate.

These documents show that the person has been formally appointed. Examples include:

• Grant of Probate
• Grant of Administration
• Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee
• Letters of Administration
• Letters Probate
• A similar document issued by a provincial, territorial, or federal authority
• For some Inuit, First Nations, or Métis communities:
  • Appointment documents from Indigenous Services Canada

You will also need to provide a copy of your government-issued identification (photo ID if you have it).

Only copies should be submitted. Original documents should not be mailed.

If no formal Estate Representative has been appointed, an Heir may complete the Claim. The Heir must submit:

Proof of the deceased person’s identity

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Date of death

Proof of death

Acceptable documents include:

• Death certificate
• Funeral home documentation
• Medical certificate of death
• Coroner’s report
• Other official documentation showing the date of death

The Heir will need to confirm with the Claims Administrator that there is no grant of authority in place, identify their relationship to the deceased by checking the correct box on the Claim Form.

Then, the Heir will confirm they are the highest priority heir or provide consents of any heirs who are a higher priority to the Heir making the Claim.

Claims submitted by Heirs will be processed after the Claims Period closes to ensure any competing Claims are reviewed and addressed.

In some cases, you may be submitting the Claim Form on behalf of an Heir who is under the Age of Majority. If this is the case, you will need to complete the information on behalf of the Heir and provide proof of your authority to act as the Heir’s representative. More information is available in the Claim Form Guide.

Documents showing proof of relationship

The Heir will provide a document that shows how they are related to the deceased. This can be:

• Long Form Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate
• Adoption Certificate
• Other document showing the relationship

A sworn declaration by the Heir

If the Heir does not have or cannot get a document showing their relationship to the deceased, they can complete a sworn declaration that confirms:

• Their relationship to the deceased person
• That the information they are providing is true to the best of their knowledge

This declaration must be witnessed by a Guarantor.

Guarantor information and signature

The Guarantor does not need to read the Claim Form or verify the accuracy of the harm described.

The Guarantor may be a:

• Notary Public
• Commissioner of Oaths (including Northern Villages’ Secretary Treasurer)
• Chief, Councilor, or Inuit Community Leader
• Lawyer
• Doctor or Physician
• Accountant (CPA)
• Police officer
• Other accepted professionals listed in the Claim Form

The Guarantor will:

• Witness the Heir signing the page (in person or virtually)
• Complete their own section of the Claim Form with name, title, contact details, and signature

When you are ready, you can send your completed Claim Form in the way that works best for you. Many people choose the online option because it is the fastest and easiest, but all methods are available.

Online Claims Portal

The online Claims Portal is the quickest way to send your Claim. The Portal guides you through each section and helps make sure nothing is missed before you submit it.

Email

Email your Claim and copies of your identification and other documents to Claims@Admin.IHSettlement.ca

Fax

Send your Claim and copies of your identification and other documents by fax to 1-416-966-5701

Mail

Mail your Claim and copies of your identification (do not send original documents) and other documents to:

FIH Claims Administrator
PO Box 5493
Station Main
Newmarket, ON L3Y 0J4

Courier deliveries are not accepted.