Claims for Minor Children

Compensation is available for minor children affected by long-term drinking water advisories. A minor child is generally defined as someone under 18 years old, but this may vary depending on the province or territory.

Please note: the claims period is now closed for regular submissions. In some cases, the Administrator may ask Representatives for minors to submit a new Claim Form. This may apply to you if you’ve received a letter from the Administrator informing you that information was missing from the original Claim Form.

If you have any questions, please contact the Administrator at 1-833-252-4220.

Applying for compensation

A minor child cannot apply for compensation on their own. They need an eligible personal representative who must be:

  • a trustee or guardian of the minor child’s property;
  • a parent of the minor child, with whom the minor child resides; or,
  • a person with lawful custody or guardianship of the minor child (i.e., an adult with parental responsibilities or day-to-day care and control over the minor child).

Competing Claims

In some cases, the Administrator receives more than one claim form for the same minor child. In these circumstances, the Administrator will contact each Personal Representative who has submitted a claim for the minor child and ask them to decide who will go ahead with their claim and who will withdraw as a Personal Representative for that minor child.

The Personal Representative(s) who are withdrawing the claims they submitted for the minor child need to complete and send in a Withdrawal as Personal Representative Form.

The form must include:

  • The name of the person who is withdrawing as a Personal Representative
  • The name of the minor child
  • The Claim ID number
  • The name of the person who will remain as the Personal Representative for the minor child.

Please note: The minor child’s claim will be placed on hold until the Administrator receives a completed, signed and dated Withdrawal as a Personal Representative Form from each of the Personal Representatives who will no longer represent the minor child.

Supporting documentation

You must provide document(s) showing eligibility as the minor child’s personal representative. This may include:

  • A copy of the Long Form Birth Certificate (showing the Personal Representative’s name as the child’s parent)
  • Legal documentation of guardianship (for example, custody or adoption records or documents showing that you are the guardian over the minor child’s property)
  • A letter from a local Child and Family Services agency confirming that the minor child’s personal representative is their primary caregiver
  • A letter from the Chief or a Councillor from the minor child’s First Nation confirming that the minor child’s personal representative is their primary caregiver
  • Statement of Live Birth
  • Manitoba Health Card

A Sworn Declaration is acceptable if no other valid form of identification for a minor child’s personal representative is available. Canada Child Benefit documents and Certificate of Indian Status cards are not considered valid proof of a personal representative’s relationship to a minor child for the purposes of this Settlement.

You may also be required to complete an Attestation Form and a Schedule A Form.

Full details about determining who is eligible to be a personal representative for a minor child, along with guidelines on payment and timelines are set out in the Minors Protocol, a supplement to the First Nations Drinking Water Settlement Agreement.

Detailed instructions for applying for compensation as the personal representative of a minor child can be found in Part 7 of the Representative Claim Form. Please also see the FAQs for additional information.

Minor Child Claims Process Timeline

This timeline shows the Claims Process for claims submitted on behalf of minor children. It does not cover claims submitted by adult individuals, Band Councils, Representatives for the estates of deceased individuals, or claims for Specified Injuries.

Claims Process Timeline

Step 1

Claim Form is submitted.

Step 2

Once all information is complete, the Administrator adjudicates the claim and determines eligibility.

Step 3

Claimants receive an eligibility decision and a provincial Attestation Form.

Attestation Forms are not required in Prince Edward Island.

Step 4

Claimants have 60 days to appeal the Administrator’s Decision  or provide the completed Attestation Form.

60 days

Step 5

For Representatives who reside in British Columbia and Alberts only, claimants will receive a Schedule A Form that needs to be completed within 60 days.

60 days

Step 6

Payment is prepared and issued only if claimant is eligible.

Payment processing

Timeline including additional information requests and appeals

Step 1

Claim Form is submitted.

Step 2

Claims with missing information receive a Missing Information Letter

You will have 90 days to respond to a Missing Information Letter. If you do not respond to the first Missing Information Letter, you will receive a second letter giving you an additional 90 days to provide the required information. The most common missing information include ID and incomplete Part 3 Authorization.

 90 days to 180 days

Step 3

Once all information is complete, the Administrator adjudicates the claim and determines eligibility.

Step 4

Claimants receive an eligibility decision and a provincial Attestation Form.

Attestation Forms are not required in Prince Edward Island.

Step 5

Claims have 60 days to appeal to the Administrator’s Decision or provide the completed Attestation Form.

 60 days

Step 6

If Claimant submits an appeal, it is reviewed by the Third-Party Assessor and a decision is reached (timeline dependant on many factors).

Step 7

For Representatives who reside in British Columbia and Alberts only, claimants will receive a Schedule A Form that needs to be completed and returned within 60 days.

60 days

Step 8

Payment is prepared and issued only if claimant is eligible.

 Payment processing

The Minor Child Claims Process timeline is also available as a PDF. See Minor Child Claims Process Timeline >

The Minor Child Claims Process sets out timelines for each step that must occur within a minimum number of days, so that claimants have enough time to respond and provide the required information. If you receive a letter with a deadline, please make sure you note what actions you need to take and by what date.

The time it takes to process a claim for a minor child may vary based on a number of factors, including which province the representative and minor child reside in, the need for additional information, appeals processes, when the claim was submitted, and the timelines outlined in the Settlement Agreement.

Please note: the claims period is now closed for regular submissions. In some cases, the Administrator may ask Representatives for minors to submit a new Claim Form. This may apply to you if you’ve received a letter from the Administrator informing you that information was missing from the original Claim Form.

If you have any questions, please contact the Administrator at 1-833-252-4220.

Minor Child Attestation Forms

The Administrator may ask the personal representative of a minor child to fill out a province-specific Attestation Form. This form helps verify the eligibility of the personal representative to receive the child’s payment. The Administrator will provide the required Attestation Form along with the decision letter.

Please note: There is no Attestation Form requirement for claims from Prince Edward Island as all payments in claims for minor children will be made to the Public Guardian and Trustee.

Minor Child Schedule A Forms

Schedule A forms are required to be completed by the representatives if all the following criteria are met:

  • Representative and minor child reside in British Columbia or Alberta
  • Representative is a parent or a guardian of the minor child
  • Amount to be paid is below the provincial threshold:
    • British Columbia: $10,000
    • Alberta: $25,000

The Administrator will mail the Schedule A form along with a letter that specifies that payment amount that will be required to be filled out on the form.