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Notice Sent to Education Entities and Groups
Education Entities and Group Educational Services
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1. What are Personal Credits?Personal Credits are credits that have no cash value and are only redeemable for either personal or group educational services provided by approved educational entities and groups. Personal Credits are transferable only to certain family members and may be combined with the Personal Credits of other individuals. Personal Credits are available, upon application, to Common Experience Payment recipients and have a maximum individual redemption value of up to $3,000. Terms and Conditions for the administration of Personal Credits have been developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives. The Terms and Conditions were approved by the court. 2. Where can I use Personal Credits and what can they be used for? Personal Credits can be used for a variety of educational purposes. Personal Credits can be used for courses at universities, colleges or trades/training schools. They can also be used for programs and workshops provided by community-based groups or cultural centres and learning activities related to the preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of “native/Inuit” history, cultures or languages. Personal Credits can be used for “in-person” or on-line learning. Personal Credits can be used for personal or group educational services. For a list of approved educational entities and groups at which Personal Credits can be redeemed, please click here or call the toll free Personal Credits Help Desk at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY). Terms and Conditions developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives set out eligible educational services and eligible expenses.
3. Why is the use of Personal Credits limited? The use of Personal Credits is defined in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Canada, legal counsel for former students, legal counsel for the Churches, the Assembly of First Nations and representatives from other Aboriginal organizations negotiated the Settlement Agreement.
4. How can I use my Personal Credits? There are several options for using Personal Credits. You can only choose one of them. Option 1: Use all of your Personal Credits yourself. Option 2: Use some of your Personal Credits for yourself and give some to one family member. You must keep a minimum of $1,000 for yourself and the combined total for yourself and your family member must not be greater than $3,000. Option 3: Give all of your Personal Credits to one family member. Option 4: Give all of your Personal Credits to two family members. You must give a minimum of $1,000 to one of the family members and the combined total for both family members must not be greater than $3,000. You and your family member(s) may use your Personal Credits for either an individual or group educational service Family members can be a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling, as defined in the Terms and Conditions.
5. Who is eligible to receive Personal Credits? Any person who receives a Common Experience Payment is eligible to receive Personal Credits.
6. Can I use my Personal Credits to pay an existing education loan? No. Personal Credits are credits that have no cash value and are only redeemable for either personal or group educational services provided by approved educational entities and groups. For a list of approved educational entities and groups at which Personal Credits can be redeemed, please click here or call the toll free Personal Credits Help Desk at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY).
7. Can I use my Personal Credits to pay for a course I have already taken? No. Personal Credits must be redeemed for future learning opportunities. 8. Can I use my Personal Credits as a contribution to a Registered Education Savings Plan? No. Personal Credits are credits that have no cash value and are only redeemable for either personal or group educational services provided by approved educational entities and groups. 9. How much are Personal Credits? Personal Credits are credits that have no cash value and are only redeemable for either personal or group educational services provided by approved educational entities and groups. Personal Credits are available, upon application, to Common Experience Payment recipients and have a maximum individual redemption value of up to $3,000. For a list of approved educational entities and groups at which Personal Credits can be redeemed, please click here or call the toll free Personal Credits Help Desk at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY).
10. May I receive cash instead of Personal Credits? No. Personal Credits are non-cash credits. Cheques will be issued directly to the educational entity or group that provides the personal or group educational service.
11. Am I obligated to use my Personal Credits? No. You can choose not to use your Personal Credits. If this is your choice, you do not have to do anything. Do not fill out the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”. The value of the Personal Credits you are entitled to will remain in the Trust Fund that was established to pay Common Experience Payments and Personal Credits. As stated in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the funds remaining in the Trust Fund once Personal Credits have been distributed will be transferred to the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and the Inuvialuit Education Foundation for educational programs.
12. What happens to unused Personal Credits? As stated in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the funds remaining in the Trust Fund that was established to pay Common Experience Payment and Personal Credits once Personal Credits have been distributed will be transferred to the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and the Inuvialuit Education Foundation for educational programs. 13. If my expenses are fully addressed by other funding, like Post-Secondary Education Funding, how can I benefit from Personal Credits? Personal Credits can be used for a variety of educational purposes. While Personal Credits can be used for courses at universities, colleges or trades/ training schools, they can also be used for programs and workshops provided by community-based groups or cultural centres and learning activities related to the preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of “native/Inuit” history, cultures or languages. Personal Credits can be used for “in-person” or on-line learning. Personal Credits can be used for personal or group educational services. While Common Experience Payment recipients can use the full amount of their Personal Credits for themselves, they can also give part or all of their Personal Credits to certain family members such as a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling, as defined in the Terms and Conditions. Terms and Conditions developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives set out eligible educational services and eligible expenses. 14. If I withdraw from an educational service after an educational entity or group has redeemed my Personal Credits, what happens to the Personal Credits? Personal Credits are credits that have no cash value and are only redeemable for either personal or group educational services provided by approved educational entities and groups. Once a “Personal Credits Redemption Form” is issued, the choice of how and where the Personal Credits will be used is final. Once a cheque is issued to the education entity or group, there is no expectation that the funds will be recovered. In order to receive a cheque for the provision of educational services, the education entity or group must complete the “Personal Credits Redemption Form”. The “Personal Credits Redemption Form” requires that the education entity or group identify how the Personal Credits have been or will be used. Terms and Conditions developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives set out eligible educational services and eligible expenses. The date for the submission of “Personal Credits Redemption Forms” has been extended. “Personal Credits Redemption Forms” must be submitted by educational entities and groups to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than June 8, 2015. 15. The Common Experience Payment recipient is deceased. Can someone else use his/her Personal Credits? Yes. A “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” may be submitted by a personal representative of the estate of a Common Experience Payment recipient who is deceased. Personal representatives include, if a person is deceased, an executor, administrator, estate trustee, trustee or liquidator of the deceased. You must provide proof of your legal authority to act as a personal representative of the Common Experience Payment recipient which includes a certified true copy of: authority to act, court order, probated will, other documentation or an un-probated will that is valid in accordance with provincial/territorial law. Requirements for a valid will varies between each province/territory. For more information, please call the Personal Credits Help Desk toll free at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY) or click here. 16. How do I redeem my Personal Credits? What is the Personal Credits Process? There is a two step Personal Credits process:
Step 1: Acknowledgement: Common Experience Payment recipients have been sent a Personal Credits information package in the mail. Included in this package is a “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” that has been personalized for the Common Experience Payment recipient. The Common Experience Payment recipient must complete the form by indicating who will be using the Personal Credits and at which educational entity(ies) and/or group(s) the Personal Credits will be redeemed. The deadline for submitting a completed “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” has been extended. “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Forms” must be submitted to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than March 9, 2015.
Step 2: Redemption: Once the information provided on the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” has been processed, a second form, called the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” will be mailed to the Common Experience Payment recipient. A “Personal Credits Redemption Form” will be sent for each individual using the Personal Credits. The Common Experience Payment recipient, or the person who will use the Personal Credits, must submit the “Personal Credits Redemption Form(s)” to the educational entity(ies) or group(s) that will be providing the educational service. The educational entity(ies) and/or group(s) must complete the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” and submit it to the Personal Credits Administrator post marked no later than June 8, 2015. A cheque will be issued directly to the educational entity(ies) or group(s) . It is the responsibility of the Common Experience Payment recipient to ensure that the deadlines are met. 17. Why are the deadlines so tight and can they be extended? To give the best opportunity possible for Common Experience Payment recipients and/or their family members to access Personal Credits that support education opportunities, Canada worked with its partners, the Assembly of First Nations and the Inuit Representatives to seek an extension to the Personal Credits deadlines.
March 9, 2015, is the new deadline for Common Experience Payment recipients to submit an Acknowledgement form for Personal Credits. June 8, 2015, is the new deadline for approved education entities and groups to submit Redemption Forms for payment. August 31, 2015, is the new deadline for CEP recipients, or their family members, to complete courses or programs for which Personal Credits are used. 18. When is the deadline to apply for Personal Credits? On January 7, 2015, the Supreme Court of British Columbia issued a decision in respect to the extension of Personal Credits process deadlines. The deadline to apply for Personal Credits is now March 9, 2015. The “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” must be returned by Common Experience Payment recipients to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than March 9, 2015. It is the responsibility of the Common Experience Payment recipient to ensure that the deadlines are met.
19. Who will administer the Personal Credits process? Crawford Class Action Services has been appointed by the courts as the Agent of the Trustee (Canada) to administer the Personal Credits process. Crawford Class Action Services is located at: Suite 3 – 505, 133 Weber Street North Waterloo, ON N2J 3G9
20. What is the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”? Common Experience Payment recipients were sent a Personal Credits information package in the mail. Included in this package is a “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” that has been personalized for the Common Experience Payment recipient. The “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” must be completed and submitted to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than March 9, 2015 in order to use Personal Credits. It is the responsibility of the Common Experience Payment recipient to ensure that the deadlines are met. You may request a form, or help completing a form, by calling the Personal Credits Help Desk at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY) or by clicking here. First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact the Assembly of First Nations for help from a Liaison Worker to complete their “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”. Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact their Land Claim Organization – Makivik Corporation, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, or Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated – for help from a Liaison Worker to complete their “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”.
21. In section E of the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” there is a statement: “I agree to the sharing of my personal information, including but not limited to my contact information, with the Government of Canada and necessary third parties authorized by the Court, only for the purposes of processing my request to use Personal Credits, including for the development of Group Education programs and services (please check box) Yes No”. If I do not wish to share my personal information and select the “No” box, will I still receive my Personal Credits? Yes. It is your choice whether you wish to share your personal information. Choosing not to share your personal information will not affect your entitlement to Personal Credits. Indicating that you are willing to share personal information may assist Liaison Workers in organizing group educational activities. Liaison Workers have been engaged by the Assembly of First Nations and the Inuit Representatives to help Common Experience Payment recipients access Personal Credits. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the information it collects to administer programs and adheres to the requirements of both the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
22. What is the "Personal Credits Redemption Form"? Once the information provided on the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” has been processed, a second form, called the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” will be mailed to the Common Experience Payment recipient. A “Personal Credits Redemption Form” will be sent for each individual using the Personal Credits. The Common Experience Payment recipient, or the person who will use the Personal Credits, must submit the “Personal Credits Redemption Form(s)” to the educational entity(ies) or group(s) that will be providing the educational service. The educational entity(ies) and/or group(s) must complete the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” and submit it to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than June 8, 2015.You may request a Redemption Form by calling the Personal Credits Help Desk at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY) or by clicking here. It is the responsibility of the Common Experience Payment recipient to ensure that the deadlines are met.
23. What is the deadline for submitting my “Personal Credits Redemption Form”? It is your responsibility to ensure that the educational entity and/or group fills out the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” and sends it to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than June 8, 2015. Failure to return the completed Form and supporting documentation by the deadline will result in non-payment. All files where a Personal Credits Acknowledgment Form has been received and additional information is still outstanding will be closed on June 9, 2015.
24. Are the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” and “Personal Credits Redemption Form” available in Aboriginal languages? Information about Personal Credits and all forms are available in English and French. In addition, general information about Personal Credits and instructions on how to complete the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” and “Personal Credits Redemption Form” are available in Inukitut, Inuinnaqtun and Inuttitut. To request a copy of this material, call the Personal Credits Help Desk toll free at 1-866-343-1858 or (TTY)1-877-627-7027. First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact the Assembly of First Nations for help from a Liaison Worker to complete their “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”. Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact their Land Claim Organization – Makivik Corporation, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, or Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated – for help from a Liaison Worker to complete their “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”.
25. What is the process for pooling Personal Credits for group educational services? First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients may choose to pool their Personal Credits to develop or participate in a group educational service. These group services will be aimed at the preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of native identities, histories, cultures or languages. First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact the Assembly of First Nations for more information. Group educational services for Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients involve putting Personal Credits towards Inuit cultural and language programs or services to be designed and delivered in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavik or Nunavut. This process will involve the pooling of Personal Credits and will be administered by the respective Inuit Land Claim Organization in each Region (Inuvialuit Regional Corporation for the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Makivik Corporation for Nunavik, and Nunavut Tungavik Inc. for Nunavut). Inuit cultural and language programs offered through this option will be delivered by educational entities or groups within the region as organized or facilitated by the Inuit Common Experience Payment recipient’s Land Claim Organization. If you wish to participate in group Inuit cultural programs and if you want the assistance of your Inuit Land Claim Organization, please contact your Inuit Land Claim Organization directly to discuss your options.
26. Will documentation be required in order to complete the transfer of Personal Credits to a family member? Possibly. If a Common Experience Payment recipient wishes to give some or all of his/her Personal Credits to a family member, he/she should be prepared to produce supporting documents such as, but not limited to, a birth certificate, marriage certificate, adoption or guardianship orders, or an affidavit which clearly outlines the family relationship, where requested. 27. Can I change my mind as to who will use my Personal Credits? Prior to the submission of the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” to the Agent of the Trustee, you may only change who you have chosen to give your Personal Credits to in the event of death or disability of the family member. In this case, the Personal Credits may be transferred back to the Common Experience Payment recipient. Disability means severe, sustained mental or physical incapacity, as evidenced by a medical certificate signed by a licensed physician. 28. Can I change the educational program or service? You can change where you or your family member(s) are choosing to use the Personal Credits if the course, program or group educational service is no longer available. Only the Common Experience Payment recipient may request a change as to where the Personal Credits will be used. 29. What happens if a “Personal Credits Acknowledgment Form” is incomplete? If a “Personal Credits Acknowledgment Form” is considered incomplete, Crawford Class Action Services will attempt to contact the Common Experience Payment recipient by phone and/or by mail to indicate that additional information is required before the Acknowledgment Form can be processed. If additional information is still outstanding on June 9, 2015, the application will be closed. 30. My “Personal Credits Acknowledgment Form” was not approved. Can I appeal? Yes, you have the right to one appeal. The Common Experience Payment Recipient or his/her personal representative may request an appeal of a decision of the Agent of the Trustee on any of the following grounds: a. the family member to whom the Personal Credits is to be transferred be recognized as a family member; b. a proposed educational entity or group be recognized as an eligible educational entity or group; c. a proposed program or service be recognized as an eligible education program or service; Click here to request an Appeal Form. 31. What can I do if I disagree with a decision to disallow a family member? If you disagree with a decision to disallow a family member, you can appeal the decision to the Advisory Committee. Click here to request an Appeal Form. All appeals are made to the Advisory Committee. The decision of the Advisory Committee is final. A Common Experience Payment recipient can make only one appeal on the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”. No appeals can be made in respect to the “Personal Credits Redemption Form”.
32. What can I do if I disagree with a decision to disallow an educational entity or group educational service? If you disagree with a decision to disallow an educational entity or group or an educational service, you can appeal the decision to the Advisory Committee. Click here to request an Appeal Form. All appeals are made to the Advisory Committee. The decision of the Advisory Committee is final. A Common Experience Payment recipient can make only one appeal on the “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”. No appeals can be made in respect to the “Personal Credits Redemption Form”.
33. What is the role of the Advisory Committees? Two Advisory Committees have been created: the Personal Credits for Inuit Common Experience Payment Recipients Advisory Committee and the Personal Credits for First Nations, Métis and all other Non-Inuit Common Experience Payment Recipients Advisory Committee. The Personal Credits for Inuit Common Experience Payment Recipients Advisory Committee is comprised of three members: one appointed by the Inuit Representatives, one appointed by Canada, and one appointed by the court. The mandate of the Committee is to: provide general administrative advice and direction; review and provide decisions on educational entities and groups, programs and group educational services; and to hear and make decisions on Personal Credits appeals. The Personal Credits for First Nations, Métis and all other Non-Inuit Common Experience Payment Recipients Advisory Committee is comprised of three members: one appointed by the Assembly of First Nations, one appointed by Canada, and one appointed by the court. The mandate of the Committee is to: provide general administrative advice and direction; review and provide decisions on educational entities and groups, programs and group educational services; and to hear and make decisions on Personal Credits appeals.
34. What are "approved educational entities"? Terms and Conditions for the administration of Personal Credits have been developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives. The Terms and Conditions describe eligible educational entities and groups and eligible educational services. The Terms and Conditions were approved by the court. Educational entities provide educational programs and services that include, but are not limited to, those provided by universities, colleges, trade or training schools, or which relate to literacy or trades, as well as programs or services which relate to the preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of “native/Inuit” history, cultures, or languages. Click here for a list of approved educational entities and groups or call the Personal Credits Information Line toll free 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY).
35. What are “group educational services”? Terms and Conditions for the administration of Personal Credits have been developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives. TheTerms and Conditions describe eligible educational entities and groups and eligible educational services. The Terms and Conditions were approved by the court. For a list of approved educational entities and groups, please call the Personal Credits Help Desk toll free at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY) or click here. First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients may choose to pool their Personal Credits to develop and to participate in specific education programs. These group educational services would be aimed at the preservation, reclamation, development or understanding of native identities, histories, cultures or languages. First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can call the Assembly of First Nation for more information. Inuit Common Experience Payment Recipients may choose to pool their Personal Credits to participate in group educational services including those aimed at the preservation, reclamation, development, or understanding of Inuit identities, histories, cultures, or languages. If you wish to participate in group Inuit cultural and language programs and if you want the assistance of your Inuit Land Claim Organization, please contact your Inuit Land Claim Organization. Inuit Land Claim Organization means Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Makivik Corporation, or Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 36. Who decided which educational entities and group services are eligible? Terms and Conditions for Personal Credits have been developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives to determine which educational services and which educational entities and groups are eligible to redeem Personal Credits. 37. How do I know if my education entity or group educational service is eligible? For a list of approved educational entities and groups, click here or call the Personal Credits Help Desk toll free at 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY). 38. What if my education entity or group is not on the approved list? You may submit a “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form” identifying an educational entity and/or group that is not on the approved list. An Advisory Committee will review the educational entity or group you listed and determine if it meets the criteria set out in the Terms and Conditions. You will receive the Advisory Committee decision by mail. The decision of the Advisory Committee is final. 39. How is an educational entity or group added to the list of approved educational entities and group educational services? If you would like your Personal Credits to be redeemed at an educational entity or group that does not appear on the approved list of educational entities and groups, identify your choice on your “Personal Credits Acknowledgement Form”. An Advisory Committee will review the educational entity or group you identified and determine if it meets the criteria set out in the Terms and Conditions. You will receive the Advisory Committee decision by mail. The decision of the Advisory Committee is final. 40. Can an education entity or group redeem my Personal Credits and hold the money to be applied to an expense incurred in the future? Personal Credits are credits that have no cash value and are only redeemable for either personal or group educational services provided by approved educational entities and groups. In order to receive a cheque for the provision of educational services, the education entity or group must complete the “Personal Credits Redemption Form”. The “Personal Credits Redemption Form” requires that the education entity or group identify how the Personal Credits have been or will be used and the dates on which services are, or will be, provided. The educational service to which the Personal Credits will be applied is to be completed by August 31, 2015. Terms and Conditions developed by Canada and the Assembly of First Nations and by Canada and Inuit Representatives set out eligible educational services and eligible expenses. All “Personal Credits Redemption Forms” must be completed and submitted to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than June 8, 2015.
41. What information has to be provided by the educational entity or group on the “Personal Credits Redemption Form”? The educational entity or group will be required to:
42. How are educational entities and groups being made aware of Personal Credits? All eligible educational entities and groups have received or will receive, as they are added to the list of approved educational entities and groups, an Information Notice on Personal Credits. 43. How do educational entities and groups know what expenses are covered? A list of eligible expenses can be found in the court-approved Terms and Conditions on the Official Court website at www.residentialschoolssettlement.ca. 44. When do educational entities and groups submit the Personal Credits Redemption Form for payment? The educational entity or group named on the form can complete the expenses section of the “Personal Credits Redemption Form” provided to them by the Common Experience Payment recipient as soon as they receive it. Educational entities and groups will need to submit the Redemption Form to the Agent of the Trustee for payment and will be reimbursed directly. All Redemption Forms must be submitted to the Personal Credits Administrator postmarked no later than June 8, 2015.
First Nations, Métis and all other non-Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact the Assembly of First Nations. Inuit Common Experience Payment recipients can contact their Land Claim Organization. Common Experience Payment recipients and educational entities and groups can contact the Personal Credits Administrator at: By Phone: 1-866-343-1858 or 1-877-627-7027 (TTY) By Mail: Personal Credits Administrator Suite 3 - 505, 133 Weber St N Waterloo, ON N2J 3G9 By Fax: 1-888-842-1332 By Email: IRSPersonalCredits@crawco.ca
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