First Nations Housing Class Action

Important updates

The Opt Out Deadline is March 31, 2025.

Individuals Band Members: if you do nothing, you will automatically remain in the Class Action. You will be bound by all Court orders, good or bad. If any money or other benefits are awarded, you may need to take action after notice to you to receive any benefits.

Introduction

The Federal Court decided that a class action on behalf of a “Class” of both First Nations and band members may proceed. Band members can choose whether to stay in the Class. First Nations can choose whether to join the Class. There is no money available now and no guarantee that the class action will succeed.

The Courts appointed St. Theresa Point First Nation, Chief Emeritus Elvin Flett, Chief Raymond Flett, Sandy Lake First Nation, and Chief Delores Kakegamic to act as representative Plaintiffs for the Class.

Band Members Included:

Band members (as defined by the Indian Act) who ordinarily resided for at least one year from June 12, 1999 to present on First Nations Lands of any First Nation while those First Nations Lands were subject to the following conditions:

  1. at least 30% of the members of the First Nation ordinarily resident on reserve live in Band-Owned Housing, being housing that is owned and administered by a First Nation and funded, directly or indirectly, by Canada:
    1. with a shortfall of two bedrooms or more relative to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s National Occupancy Standard; and
    2. that requires major repairs, including defective plumbing or electrical wiring, or structural repairs to walls, floors, or ceilings, or which requires replacement; or
  2. at least 70% of the members of the First Nation ordinarily resident on reserve live in Band-Owned Housing with a shortfall of two bedrooms or more or 70% of the members of the First Nation ordinarily resident on reserve live in Band-Owned Housing that requires major repairs; and
  3. whether (A) or (B) above, or both, is not a Zone 1 First Nation according to the Band Classification Manual, being located within 50 km of the nearest service centre with year-round road access;
    (First Nations with First Nations Lands that satisfy the criteria in either (A) or (B) above, or both, and satisfy the criterion in (C) above are referenced as “Impacted First Nations”).

The Impacted First Nations List is as follows:

  1. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
  2. Attawapiskat First Nation / Attawapiskat Band
  3. Barren Lands
  4. Black Lake Denesuline First Nation / Black Lake / Black Lake Band
  5. Bunibonibee Cree Nation / Bunibonibee Cree Nation
  6. Cat Lake First Nation / Cat Lake
  7. Dechi Laot'i First Nations
  8. Deer Lake Band
  9. Ehattesaht / Ehattesaht Band
  10. Fond Du Lac Band
  11. Fort Albany And Kashechewan First Nation
  12. Fort Severn First Nation
  13. Garden Hill First Nations
  14. Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation / Hatchet Lake / Hatchet Lake Band
  15. Ka:'Yu:'K't'h'/Che:K:Tles7et'h' First Nations / Ka'yu:'K't'h'/Che:K:Tles7et'h
  16. Kee-Way-Win
  17. Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation
  18. Kluskus / Kluskus Band
  19. Kwicksutaineuk-Ah-Kwaw-Ah-Mish First Nation
  20. Little Grand Rapids First Nation / Little Grand Rapids Band
  21. Little Red River Cree Nation / Little Red River Cree Nation Band
  22. Lutsel K'e Dene Band
  23. Lyackson First Nation / Lyackson / Lyackson Band
  24. Manto Sipi Cree Nation
  25. Mathias Colomb Cree Nation / Mathias Colomb
  26. Mushuau Innu First Nation
  27. Muskrat Dam First Nation
  28. Neskantaga First Nation
  29. Nibinamik First Nation
  30. Northlands Denesuline First Nation / Northlands
  31. Nuchatlaht First Nation
  32. Pauingassi First Nation Band
  33. Pikangikum First Nation
  34. Poplar Hill First Nation
  35. Red Sucker Lake First Nation
  36. Sachigo Lake First Nation
  37. Shamattawa First Nation / Shamattawa First Nation Band
  38. Skatin Nations (Skookumchuck)
  39. St. Theresa Point First Nation / St. Theresa Point / St. Theresa Point Band
  40. Tsay Keh Dene
  41. Wasagamack First Nation
  42. Wawakapewin First Nation
  43. Webequie First Nation
  44. Wunnumin Lake First Nation
  45. Poplar River First Nation
  46. Sandy Lake First Nation
  47. Sayisi Dene
  48. Berens River First Nation (Miimiiwiziibiing) / Berens River / Berens River Band
  49. Birch Narrows First Nation
  50. Clearwater River Dene
  51. Da'naxda'xw First Nation
  52. Eastmain Band
  53. First Nation Of Nacho Nyak Dun
  54. Kwiakah Band
  55. Ross River Band
  56. Tetlit Gwich'in
  57. Xeni Gwet'in First Nations Government
  58. Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation
  59. Alexandria / Alexandria Band
  60. Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation / Alexis Band
  61. Animibiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek
  62. Beardy's And Okemasis First Nation
  63. Big Island Lake Cree Nation
  64. Big River First Nation / Big River / Big River Band
  65. Blood
  66. Bloodvein First Nation / Bloodvein / Bloodvein Band
  67. Buffalo Point First Nation / Buffalo Point First Nation Band
  68. Canoe Lake Cree First Nation
  69. Chemawawin Cree Nation
  70. Cheslatta Carrier Nation
  71. Cross Lake Band (Pimicikamak Cree Nation) / Cross Lake First Nation
  72. Deh Gáh Got'ie Dene First Nation
  73. Deninu K'ue First Nation
  74. Frog Lake / Frog Lake Band
  75. High Bar
  76. Island Lake First Nation / Island Lake First Nation Band
  77. Kinistin Band
  78. Kitcisakik Band
  79. Little Saskatchewan First Nation
  80. Loon River Cree Band
  81. Lubicon Lake Nation
  82. Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation
  83. Marcel Colomb First Nation
  84. Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation
  85. Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation / Mishkeegogamang / Mishkeegogamang Band
  86. Mistawasis First Nation / Mistawasis
  87. Mosakahiken Cree Nation
  88. Nazko First Nation
  89. Nicomen
  90. Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
  91. O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation
  92. Onion Lake Cree Nation
  93. O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation
  94. Oregon Jack Creek Band
  95. Pacheedaht First Nation
  96. Paul First Nation / Paul / Paul Band
  97. Peepeekisis Cree Nation
  98. Pelican Lake First Nation / Pelican Lake / Pelican Lake Band
  99. Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation / Peter Ballantyne Band
  100. Pinaymootang First Nation
  101. Pine Creek
  102. Red Earth First Nation / Red Earth Band
  103. Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation Government
  104. Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation / Sandy Bay / Sandy Bay band
  105. Sapotaweyak Cree Nation
  106. Selkirk First Nation
  107. Shoal Lake Cree Nation
  108. Skin tyee
  109. Skownan First Nation
  110. Star Blanket First Nation
  111. Sturgeon Lake First Nation
  112. Sunchild First Nation / Sunchild Cree First Nation band
  113. Swan lake band
  114. Tallcree Tribal Government / Tallcree First Nation
  115. Tataskweyak Cree Nation
  116. Thunderchild First Nation / Thunderchild band
  117. Tl'etinqox Government
  118. Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve
  119. Wabaseemoong Independent Nations
  120. Waterhen Lake
  121. White Bear First Nation
  122. Whitefish Lake
  123. Witchekan Lake / Witchekan Lake band
  124. Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation
  125. Yekooche First Nation
  126. Yellow Quill / Yellowquill
  127. Little Pine First Nation

Individual band members must decide whether to stay in the Class, and you have to decide this by March 31, 2025. Staying in the Class will not impact the supports received from community-based agencies that are funded by any government.

First Nations must decide whether they want to join the Class by no later than 90 days before the Class members’ claims are determined.

Court Documents

If you do not want to participate in this class action litigation, you need to remove yourself by opting out. If you opt out, you cannot get money or benefits from this litigation. To opt out, please submit an Opt Out Coupon by March 31, 2025.

To submit an Opt Out Coupon, use the following: Opt Out Coupon (PDF)*

*Acrobat Reader (to view, fill and save PDF form)

Contact Us

First Nations Housing Class Action
c/o CA2 Inc.
9 Prince Arthur Avenue
Toronto, ON M5R 1B2

firstnationshousing@classaction2.com
Tel: 1-800-538-0009