Federal Indian Hospitals Class Action 

2025 Update – Merchant Law Group LLP is pleased to report that a Canada-wide settlement has been reached with the federal government regarding the Indian Hospitals Class Action.

Details of this class action settlement can be viewed online at the Federal Indian Hospitals Class Action website.

The settlement is subject to court approval. A Court hearing will be held in Ottawa on June 10 and 11, 2025.  Class members may observe the same hearing in person or online, via a video link. Please email [email protected] for information about the video link.

This proposed class action settlement with Canada must be approved by the Court before individual compensation options will be available to eligible Class Members. The claims process for compensation [and filing of individual claim forms by Class Members] has not yet started.

BACKGROUND:

Indian Hospitals were operational throughout Canada between 1936 and 1981. They were purportedly established to treat and care for Indigenous Persons with certain diseases such as tuberculosis.

In reality, these institutions advanced Canada’s policy of assimilation at that time. Indigenous Persons were forcibly removed from their families and communities and then confined and isolated in Indian Hospitals for extended periods of time, often far away from their homes.

These Institutions were also poorly maintained, managed and staffed. Staff members at Indian Hospitals were often predators who inflicted physical, sexual, and verbal abuse on patients.

Please note, joining our contact list for this class action, creates no financial obligation for you and your information will be kept confidential. (If you have previously joined our contact list and your address or other contact information has changed, you may update your contact information on our list by completing the form below.)

Merchant Law Group LLP has 10 offices across Canada, with lawyers practising law in six provinces. Merchant Law Group LLP and Tony Merchant, Q.C. are well known for pursuing class action lawsuits in Canada including litigation regarding Winners/HomeSense, Various Cellular Phone Fees, BCE Dividends, GM Gasket Manifolds, Hip Implants, Lead Paint in Toys (and similar consumer products), Maple Leaf, Celebrex/Bextra, Vioxx, Sony, Residential Schools and various other cases. Tony Merchant, Q.C. is known to be one of Canada’s most active litigators with more than 600 reported cases in leading Caselaw Journals, having argued thousands of cases before the Canadian and American Courts, in Trial and Administrative Courts, and the Courts of Appeal of various American and Canadian jurisdictions, the Federal Court of Canada, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Tony Merchant, Q.C., has a long history in pursuing public policy cases and is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (M.L.A.)

 

PLEASE INDICATE WHICH INSTITUTION(S) YOU ATTENDED IN THE OTHER 'COMMENTS SECTION' BELOW.