Eighteen months after committing itself to raising $25 million over five years to compensate former residential schools students, the Anglican Church of Canada, including the General Synod and 30 dioceses, is more than half-way there.
“We are now past the $13 million mark,” said Archdeacon Jim Boyles, General Secretary of the General Synod. “The dioceses have responded creatively, imaginatively and very effectively. They are to be commended.”
Mr. Boyles stressed that every penny that Anglicans contribute to the Settlement Fund goes exactly where the money is intended to go – as compensation to former students of the church-run schools whose claims of physical or sexual abuse are validated.
“Our fund is administered by General Synod staff,” Mr. Boyles said. “That means that the total of the $25 million fund will be available to victims of abuse whose claims have been validated.”
To date, the Anglican church has paid about $3.5 million to 130 claimants. The federal government has been criticized in recent weeks for the amount it spends on administration as compared to the money it pays to former students. Last year, the federal government spent about $61 million on administration, four times the $16.5 million paid to former students.
The Anglican Church of Canada and the federal government signed an agreement in March, 2003, under which the church’s liabilities in lawsuits by former residential schools students would be limited to $25 million. The Anglican General Synod and all 30 dioceses agreed to raise the $25 million within five years.
For more information on the Settlement Fund and how Anglican dioceses met their commitment, see
For more information please contact VIANNEY (SAM) CARRIERE, Director of Communications, 416 924 9199 EXT. 306;[email protected]
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