What to do when a loved one dies

First 24 to 72 hours

Who to call, and in what order

1. 01Call 911 only if the death was unexpected or happened at home without hospice. If hospice was involved, call the hospice line first — they handle the pronouncement.
2. 02The death has to be certified by an authorized professional — usually a physician, and in some provinces a nurse practitioner or coroner. Who can do it, and the form they complete, is set by your province.
3. 03Call a funeral home, or in Quebec a funeral services business. They can collect your loved one at any hour, and you can decide on the service later.
4. 04Tell close family and one or two friends who can help you make calls.
5. 05Find out if there were written wishes — a will, a prepaid funeral plan, or a note about burial or cremation.
6. 06Secure the home, pets, medications, and any vehicle. Don't rush to give belongings away.
7. 07Order certified copies of the death certificate from your province's vital statistics office (in Quebec, the Directeur de l'état civil). Most families order somewhere between 5 and 12, since institutions differ on whether they keep a copy.

First two weeks

The paperwork that actually matters

1. 01Notify Service Canada — Canada Pension Plan (or Retraite Québec for QPP), Old Age Security, and the death benefit. The funeral home often reports the death, but confirm it.
2. 02Contact life insurance companies and any pension or employer benefits office.
3. 03Notify banks, credit unions, and credit card companies. Ask them to freeze, not close, joint accounts until you understand what's owed.
4. 04Tell the mortgage servicer and homeowner's insurer that the owner has died. Keep paying the premium.
5. 05Locate the will and find out who is named to administer the estate — executor, personal representative, or in Quebec the liquidator. Institutions usually deal only with that person, and may ask for probate or a notarial search first.
6. 06Ask an estate lawyer (or a notary in Quebec) whether the estate needs probate at all — rules, fees, and small-estate shortcuts differ by province, and many estates don't need it.
7. 07Stop automatic payments and subscriptions, but keep utilities on if anyone still lives in the home.

First few months

Settling the estate

1. 01If probate is required, the estate representative applies to the provincial court (in Quebec, the will is probated or a notarial will is verified) and receives authority to act.
2. 02Open an estate bank account so estate money never mixes with personal money.
3. 03Make a list of everything owned and everything owed. Debts are paid from the estate before anything is distributed.
4. 04File the final T1 income tax return with the CRA (and a Quebec return with Revenu Québec if applicable), then ask for a clearance certificate before distributing anything.
5. 05Decide what happens to the home — keep, sell, or transfer. Talk this through as a family before anyone commits.
6. 06Distribute what's left according to the will, and keep written records of every transfer.

The first year

Looking after each other

1. 01Watch for scams. Obituaries are public, and fraud calls often start within days.
2. 02Review the surviving spouse's income — survivor benefits, pensions, and whether the household budget still works.
3. 03Update wills, beneficiaries, and powers of attorney (mandates of protection in Quebec) for everyone still living.
4. 04Close or memorialize online accounts when you're ready. There is no deadline.

Questions families ask

How many death certificates do we need?

Most families order between 5 and 12. Some institutions keep a certified copy, others accept a funeral director's statement or return the copy to you, and the cost per copy is set by your province — so ask two or three of the institutions involved before ordering.

Do we have to go through probate?

Not always. Jointly owned property and accounts with a named beneficiary usually pass directly. Several provinces have a simplified process for small estates, with different thresholds; Quebec has its own verification rules. A lawyer or notary can tell you in one short meeting.

Are we responsible for our loved one's debts?

Generally no. Debts are paid from the estate. Family members are usually only responsible for debt they personally co-signed or guaranteed, though rules around joint accounts and family patrimony in Quebec can differ.

Can we hold the funeral later?

Yes. A cremation or burial can happen first and a memorial can be held weeks or months later, when everyone can travel.