Progress Update on the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement

January 8, 2026

The Claims Process for the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement opened on March 7, 2022. Since then, the Administrator has received close to 220,000 claims from individuals who lived in the 268 First Nations that experienced long-term drinking water advisories between November 20, 1995, and June 20, 2021.

Higher than expected claim volume

The original terms of the Settlement Agreement were based on the expectation that:

  • The Claims Period for this Settlement would be one year long, ending on March 7, 2023.
  • There would be approximately 140,000 individuals claiming for Individual Damages with a small number of these also claiming for Specified Injuries.

By February 2023, fewer claims had been received than expected. The Court extended the deadline by one year, to March 7, 2024, and then put a process in place to provide additional First Nations with the opportunity to join the Settlement.

These measures had a significant impact on claim volume. By the end of the extended Claims Period, the Administrator had received close to 80,000 more claims than had been anticipated.

This means that between March 7, 2023, and March 7, 2024, the number of claims doubled, with over 65% submitted in the final three months before the deadline. On the final day of the Claims Period alone, we received over 25,000 claims.

The number of individuals claiming for Specified Injuries was more than double the original estimate. While it was projected that approximately 11% of Individual Damages claims would include a claim for Specified Injuries, by the end of the Claims Period, 31% of all claims received included a Specified Injuries claim.

As a result, the Administrator has required more time than originally anticipated to process claims in this Settlement.

Progress on claims processing

Individual Damages: The Administrator has finished processing nearly 83% of Individual Damages claims, and more than 75% of eligible Claimants have been paid.

Of the Individual Damages claims that have not yet been processed, 82% are awaiting missing information from the Claimants. This is why it’s so important to respond to any letters you receive from the Administrator asking for additional information.

Specified Injuries: We’re making progress in determining eligibility in Specified Injuries claims. People who have already received a Confirmation of Eligibility letter for Individual Damages have begun receiving decisions about their Specified Injuries claims.

The amount to be paid for individual Specified Injuries claims will be determined after all claims and appeals have been processed. The Administrator will begin distributing compensation from the $50 million Specified Injuries Compensation Fund, including interest accrued by the Fund, once the total number of eligible claims is confirmed.

Interest on Settlement Funds to benefit Class Members

Under the Settlement Agreement, an interest-bearing Trust was established to hold the money that the Government of Canada paid to settle this class action lawsuit. All interest accrued from the Trust Fund is used to pay compensation to eligible Class Members. The Trust is managed by an independent trustee who was appointed by the Court.

After all claims are paid, any remaining funds – including accrued interest – will be used for the benefit of Class Members, as set out in Article 4.03 of the Settlement Agreement. Class Counsel will make recommendations about how any surplus should be distributed for approval by the Court. None of the Settlement Funds will be returned to the Government of Canada.

About the Administrator

The Administrator’s role in this Settlement is to determine eligibility for compensation based on the Settlement Agreement and the Court-approved claims process. The Administrator issues payments, refers claims to the Third-Party Assessors for appeals, and reports on its progress to the Settlement Implementation Committee, Class Counsel, and the Court.

We are committed to answering your questions to the best of our ability. Sometimes, the answer is that your claim or your payment is still being processed, which can be disappointing. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Administrator. The call centre is open Monday to Friday (except for Statutory Holidays):

We recognize that the administration of this Settlement is a thorough and detailed process. We thank all Class Members for their continued patience and for participating in this Settlement.