People seeking compensation through the Federal Indian Hospitals Settlement will have an opportunity to receive in-person help with their claims in Saskatoon this week.
The Federal Indian Hospitals Settlement provides compensation to people who experienced physical, sexual, psychological or verbal abuse while admitted to one of 33 federally operated Indian hospitals between 1936 and 1981.
Valerie Scharrer, community support program lead for the Federal Indian Hospitals Claimant Support Program, says the Saskatoon sessions will run from Wednesday, Aug. 12 through Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Sandman Signature Hotel on Lorne Avenue.
Each day will begin with an information session at 10 a.m., followed by opportunities to meet one-on-one with claims helpers from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Scharrer says the sessions are intended to make what can be an emotional claims process easier to navigate.
“The purpose of the claims helper role in the claimant support program with the settlement is just to ensure that nobody needs to go through this process alone,” Scharrer said.
Claims helpers can answer questions, explain what information is required and work directly with claimants to complete their forms. Scharrer says the helpers are Indigenous and trained to provide trauma-informed and culturally grounded support.
“We understand that the claims process can and will bring up difficult and painful memories,” she said. “We just want to make sure that folks have that support through the process.”
Elders and wellness supports will also be available during the Saskatoon sessions.
“Our goal is to ensure that people have support through the process, that they’re able to submit a claim and get the compensation that they deserve for their experience that they’ve had,” Shar said.
The Saskatoon stop will not be the last in Saskatchewan. Shar says additional sessions are being planned for Fort Qu’Appelle and North Battleford, while the claimant support team will continue travelling across Canada ahead of the June 2028 claims deadline.
People unable to attend an in-person session can also receive assistance from claims helpers by telephone.
(TOP PHOTO – The Fort Qu’Appelle Indian Hospital from the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan)