Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) Software
IRSSA
CLIENT
Blott and Co
YEAR
2009 - 2019
The Challenge
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) was a nationwide settlement addressing compensation claims connected to the residential school system. It is widely recognized as the largest class action settlement in Canadian history. The Independent Assessment Process (IAP) required the submission, tracking, and adjudication of thousands of highly sensitive, individualized claims, each involving complex documentation, strict procedural requirements, and significant privacy considerations. At the time, much of this work across the legal system relied on manual, paper-heavy processes that struggled under the volume and complexity of claims. Legal practices involved in the IAP needed a way to manage intake, documentation, workflow progression, and reporting at a scale rarely seen in Canadian legal proceedings, while maintaining confidentiality, accuracy, and auditability. The challenge was not legal strategy. It was operational reality. How to design a secure, structured system capable of handling thousands of concurrent, sensitive case files without collapsing under its own weight.
Our Solution
Intoria designed and built a bespoke legal intake and case management platform intended to support high-volume compensation claim workflows. The system replaced fragmented, manual processes with a centralized, secure digital pipeline for managing claimant information, documentation, and case status across all stages of intake and adjudication. The platform featured secure data capture and encrypted storage for sensitive personal information, role-based access controls to limit exposure by responsibility, and structured workflows that standardized how claims progressed through required steps. Dynamic forms reduced repetitive data entry, while document management tools supported scanning, uploading, versioning, and retrieval of supporting materials. Operational dashboards provided visibility into claim volumes, progress stages, and exceptions, enabling teams to monitor throughput and identify bottlenecks. Automated alerts and task logic helped ensure required actions and deadlines were surfaced consistently, reducing reliance on manual follow-ups. The system was designed with adaptability in mind, allowing workflows and requirements to evolve alongside changing procedural guidance. Throughout development, Intoria focused on building a technically robust, compliance-aware platform that could withstand scale, scrutiny, and the sensitivity inherent in the work.
Results
The resulting system transformed a previously manual, decentralized process into a structured digital operation capable of managing thousands of complex claim files concurrently. Legal teams using the platform gained the ability to intake and organize claims at a scale that would have been extremely difficult to sustain using paper-based or generic tools. From a technology perspective, the project demonstrated how disciplined software architecture can support high-volume, high-sensitivity workflows without sacrificing data integrity or operational clarity. The platform provided consistency, traceability, and structure in an environment defined by complexity and volume. For Intoria, the work stands as an example of building mission-critical infrastructure under demanding conditions. It reflects an ability to design and implement systems where security, scale, and responsibility matter more than speed or surface-level polish. In sensitive contexts, the role of software is not to judge outcomes, but to provide reliable, accountable systems capable of carrying heavy operational load.