Interim payments of $50,000 may soon be flowing to victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash from a fundraising campaign that netted more than $15 million.

The non-profit group that administers the fund is asking the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench to approve the payments to the 13 survivors of the crash, as well as the families of the 16 who died.

Darren Duell, president of the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Fund, says in an affidavit that the families are in urgent need of funds due to travel costs, time off work and other issues.

The GoFundMe campaign was set up following the April 6th crash of the hockey team's bus on the way to a playoff game in Nipawin.

At an August 13 hearing, the fund will also ask the court to appoint the five-member advisory committee to help determine the appropriate division of the funds.

The members include:

  • Dennis Ball (Regina, SK) – a recently retired Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench Judge
  • Hayley Wickenheiser (Calgary, AB) – former Canadian Women’s Olympic Hockey Team 4-time Gold Medalist
  • Mark Chipman (Winnipeg, MB) – Board Chair, True North Sports + Entertainment which owns the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets
  • Dr. Peter Spafford (Saskatoon, SK) – Surgeon and Department Head at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine. Former U of Saskatchewan Huskie Hockey Player.
  • Kevin Cameron (Lethbridge, AB) – Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response
  • Three Information Resource Persons