What to do when someone dies
Estates and wills
When someone has died, their belongings, property, assets and liabilities form their estate. Estate law, including wills and probate fees, falls under provincial and territorial jurisdiction.
Estate law
Consult the estate laws of the province or territory where the deceased individual lived for further details on managing the estate and what to do when there is no will.
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Estate taxes
When someone dies, the legal representative is responsible for the administration of the estate of the person who died. Refer to Doing Taxes for someone who died for more information on representing someone who died for the purpose of filing estate taxes.
What to do if there is no will
If there is no will or an executor has not been named, refer to the estate law of the Provincial or Territorial government where the person died.
Identifying a legal representative will ensure that the deceased's affairs are managed quickly.
Mental health support
If you need help working through grief, or just need someone to talk to, you can always call a help line.