Have you submitted a claim for someone who passed away on or after November 20, 2017? If so, you have extra time to send important documents to the Administrator.

According to the Settlement Agreement, you have up to two years after the Ultimate Claims Deadline to provide proof to the Administrator that you are:

• The legally appointed executor, administrator, trustee, or liquidator of the Deceased Claimant’s estate (Estate Representative), or
• The Deceased Claimant’s highest priority heir (Heir Representative).

You also need to send proof of the date Deceased Claimant passed away, such as a death certificate, burial certificate, or a funeral director’s statement of death.

The Ultimate Claims Deadline was March 7, 2024, so, for most First Nations, the deadline to submit these estate documents is March 7, 2026. For First Nations that were added to the Settlement on a Limited Extension basis, the deadline is two years after their Limited Extension Deadline (see Limited Extension Deadlines table). If the Administrator does not receive all of the required documents (including any missing information from the Claim Form) by that date, the claim will be closed, and no compensation will be issued.

This also applies in cases where more than one person wants to be the Representative, and they are equal priority heirs (like two children of the Deceased Claimant), they must agree on who will act as the Representative and send proof that they have agreed, along with all of the required documentation, by March 7, 2026. If they do not, the claim will be closed, and no compensation will be issued.

For more information, see section 13.02 of the Settlement Agreement and parts 8 and 9 of the Representative Claim Form.

If the deceased person lived on reserve most of the year, Indigenous Service Canada’s Estate Services for First Nations may be able to help you confirm who was appointed as the Administrator for an estate or provide copies of supporting documentation.