Where to Find Proof of Death in Canada (2024)

FAQs

Where to Find Proof of Death in Canada? ›

Death Certificate

To obtain a copy of a death certificate, you must contact the Registrar of Vital Statistics and apply by mail, online or in person at their offices. You can obtain the “Request for Certificate” form at the locations listed on the Vital Statistics website.

You can use any search engine (like Google) and type the person's name, followed by “obituary” or “death”. Google will highlight any information that includes all of these phrases, leading you directly to articles or posts that pertain to that person's death or some of the obituary listings we mentioned above.

You can use a statement of death or a death certificate as proof of death. The statement of death is sufficient in most situations to notify the federal government of a death.

The Canadian Deceased Registry is Canada's only comprehensive and privacy-compliant record of deceased individuals. It's supported by nearly a decade of historical data. You can license the database for research and analysis purposes or to update your internal records, ensuring you make well-informed decisions.

You can make a search request with NoticeConnect, which has created the Canada Wills Registry. Their system searches the wills that have been registered in their database. NoticeConnect can also assist in locating wills that have not been registered in their database.

The Home Affairs ID Verification will provide registered details on an individual with an SA ID number. The Home Affairs IDV provides the following information: Vitality Status ('Deceased' status can include date and place of death.

Are death certificates public in Ontario? ›

Anyone can apply to obtain a death certificate, but only the next of kin is eligible to obtain a certified copy of death registration. A death certificate contains basic information about the deceased person, such as name and gender.

Obituaries are not required by law , so the deceased's family might have chosen to forego publishing one.

Regular delivery time takes about 6-8 weeks through Canada Post if you choose the fax or mailing process. If you need the order within 5 business days, you can pay the premium service fee. Payment differs depending on your method of completing the application.

Confirming death:

Check for response to painful stimuli. Check if pupils are fixed, dilated and unresponsive to light. Look, listen and feel for breath sounds and respiratory effort for 2 minutes. Look, listen and feel for central pulse and heart sounds for 2 minutes.

Death certificates

If you need proof of the death while you wait for the inquest to finish, ask the coroner for an interim death certificate. Once the inquest is over, you can get the final death certificate from the registrar. You can use either certificate to: apply for probate.

How can I certify a death certificate? The certification process in Canada is called authentication and legalization and you can complete this process by submitting the death certificate to Global Affairs Canada and the Embassy of the country where the document will be submitted.

The funeral home will notify the government of the deceased's passing; this will cancel any monthly Canada Pension and Old Age Security payments they were receiving.

To get a death certificate or a copy of the certificate, you must contact the Directeur de l'état civil. You can send a request by mail, fax, the Internet or by going directly to one of the offices of the registrar. The form you need – a Request for Certificate – is on the Directeur's website.