If you're reading this, someone you love has probably just passed away, or you're preparing for a loss you know is coming. Either way, you're looking for answers during one of the hardest moments of your life.
Take a breath. You don't have to figure this out alone.
This guide walks you through everything that needs to happen after someone passes away in Ontario, from who to call in the first hour, to registering the death, to applying for the CPP death benefit. We'll explain each step in plain language, with clear timelines, so you know exactly what to do and when.
You won't find bureaucratic jargon here. What you will find is honest, practical guidance written for someone who's never had to do this before. If this is your first time planning funeral arrangements, you're in the right place.
What to do when someone dies in Ontario: the key steps
Here's an overview of everything you'll need to handle. We'll walk through each step in detail below.
- Call the physician or 911, depending on whether the death was expected or unexpected
- Contact a funeral home or cremation provider to arrange transportation
- Register the death with the help of your funeral director
- Order death certificates from ServiceOntario (order 3 to 5 copies)
- Make funeral or cremation arrangements, whether traditional or direct cremation
- Cancel government IDs (OHIP card, driver's licence, SIN)
- Apply for the CPP death benefit, up to $2,500 (or $5,000 with the new top-up)
- Begin estate settlement and locate the will
You don't have to do all of this at once. The sections below explain each step with timelines, so you know what's urgent and what can wait.
Who to call first when someone dies in Ontario
The very first phone call depends on whether the death was expected or unexpected. Both situations feel overwhelming, but the process is different for each.
If the death was expected
When a loved one passes away at home after an illness, or in hospice or long-term care, here's what to do:
- Call the attending physician or palliative care team. They'll come to confirm the death and complete the Medical Certificate of Death.
- Do not call 911. Under Ontario's Expected Death in the Home (EDITH) protocol, you don't need to call emergency services when a death was anticipated and a physician has been involved in the person's care. This is something many families don't know, and it can save you from a stressful, unnecessary experience with paramedics arriving during an already difficult moment.
- Contact a funeral home or cremation provider once the physician has been notified. They'll arrange transportation and begin handling the paperwork.
If the death happens in a hospital or long-term care home, the staff will guide you through these first steps. You don't have to manage this alone.
If the death was unexpected
When someone passes away suddenly or from an unknown cause:
- Call 911 immediately. Paramedics will respond and assess the situation.
- The coroner will be involved. In Ontario, a coroner reviews all unexpected deaths to determine the cause. This is a legal requirement, it's not a reflection of anything you did or didn't do.
- Wait for instructions. The coroner's office will let you know when you can contact a funeral home or cremation provider to arrange transportation.
This process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on the circumstances. It's completely normal to feel helpless during this time. Focus on being with your family, the administrative steps can wait until the coroner has finished.
What happens next
Once the physician or coroner has completed their role, you'll need to contact a funeral home or cremation provider. The funeral director becomes your guide through the paperwork and logistics, they'll help you register the death, obtain the burial permit, and coordinate everything that comes next.
If you're not physically in Ontario when this happens, many providers, including Cleo, can handle the entire process remotely by phone. You don't need to be present to make arrangements. Call us at (438) 817-1770 any time, we're available 24/7.
How to register a death in Ontario
Registering a death in Ontario involves two documents working together. It sounds complicated, but the funeral director handles most of it for you.
The Medical Certificate of Death
This is completed by the attending physician (for expected deaths) or the coroner (for unexpected deaths). You don't need to do anything to get this, the medical professional sends it directly to the funeral director.
The certificate includes the cause of death, date and time, and the physician or coroner's information.
The Statement of Death
This is where you come in. You and the funeral director will complete the Statement of Death together. It includes personal details about the person who passed away, their full legal name, date of birth, marital status, and parental information.
Have these details ready when you meet with the funeral director:
- Full legal name (including maiden name, if applicable)
- Date and place of birth
- Marital status and spouse's name
- Parents' full names (including mother's maiden name)
- Social insurance number
- Occupation
The funeral director sends both documents to the local municipal clerk's office, where the death is officially registered.
Getting the burial permit
A burial permit is issued when the death is registered. You need this permit before any cremation or burial can take place, it's a legal requirement in Ontario under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act.
Your funeral director handles this for you. It's not something you need to apply for separately.
Ordering death certificates
Once the death is registered, you can order official death certificates from ServiceOntario. Here's what you need to know:
- Processing time: approximately 12 weeks. This is longer than many families expect, so plan ahead. If you need to settle bank accounts or insurance claims, let those institutions know the certificate is in progress.
- Order 3 to 5 copies. Banks, insurance companies, the CRA, and other organizations will each want their own copy. Ordering extras now saves you from repeating the process later.
- Cost: Each certificate has a fee, check ServiceOntario's current rates when you order.
In the meantime, your funeral director can provide a Proof of Death letter, which some institutions will accept for initial inquiries.
Understanding the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO)
The Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) is the organization that regulates funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries across the province. It exists to protect you.
Here's what the BAO means for you as a family:
- Every funeral provider must be licensed. You can verify any provider's licence on the BAO's public register before working with them.
- You have consumer rights. Funeral providers must give you an itemized price list before you commit to anything. They can't pressure you into services you don't want.
- You can file a complaint. If something doesn't feel right about how a provider is treating you, the BAO investigates complaints from families.
- Free consumer guide. The BAO publishes a free Consumer Information Guide that explains your rights and options in plain language. It's worth reading if you want to feel more confident about the decisions ahead.
If you're comparing providers and want to verify someone is legitimate, the BAO's public register is a good place to start. During a week when trust matters most, it helps to know someone is watching out for you.
Making funeral or cremation arrangements in Ontario
You have several options when it comes to honouring your loved one. There's no single "right" choice, the best decision is the one that feels right for your family.
Your options
- Traditional funeral with burial: A viewing or visitation, a funeral service, and burial in a cemetery. This is the most involved option and typically the most expensive.
- Traditional funeral with cremation: A funeral service followed by cremation instead of burial. You can still hold a viewing beforehand if you wish.
- Direct cremation: The cremation takes place without a formal funeral service. Many families choose to hold a celebration of life or memorial gathering on their own terms, at a time and place that feels right. This is the most straightforward and cost-effective option.
- Alkaline hydrolysis: A water-based alternative to flame cremation, available at some Ontario facilities. It's newer and less widely available, but growing in popularity.
About 73% of families in Ontario now choose cremation, it's become the most common choice by a wide margin. If you're leaning toward cremation and wondering whether it's "enough," it absolutely is. Many families find that a simple cremation followed by a personal gathering honoured their loved one more meaningfully than a traditional funeral ever could.
What direct cremation costs in Ontario
Cremation costs in Ontario vary significantly, direct cremation in the Greater Toronto Area ranges from $1,450 to $4,500, depending on the provider.
That's a wide gap, and the difference usually comes down to what's included. Some providers quote a low base price but add fees for transportation, death certificates, or weekend pickups. Others include everything in one fixed price.
When comparing providers, ask specifically:
- Is transportation from the place of death included?
- Are death certificates included? How many?
- Are there extra charges for weekends, holidays, or after-hours pickups?
- Is an urn or container included?
- What is the total, final price, not a "starting at" figure? See our complete itemized list for exactly what's included.
At Cleo, we believe you shouldn't have to comparison-shop during the hardest week of your life. Our cremation service is all-inclusive at a fixed price, transportation, cremation, death certificates, and a basic urn, with no hidden fees. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Arranging cremation from out of town
If you live in another province, or even another country, and need to arrange cremation for someone who passed away in Ontario, you can handle the entire process remotely.
At Cleo, families arrange cremation entirely by phone. We coordinate transportation, manage the paperwork, and deliver the ashes to your door, even if that door is 3,000 kilometres away. You don't need to fly in for logistics. When you're ready to visit, you can focus on family, not administration.
Cancelling government IDs and services
After a death, you'll need to notify several government agencies to cancel accounts and prevent identity fraud. This doesn't need to happen immediately, the first week or two is soon enough for most of these.
OHIP card cancellation
Cancelling an OHIP card is straightforward, and it doesn't need to happen in the first few days. When you're ready, you have two options:
By mail: Send ServiceOntario the completed Change of Information form (Section A and F), the health card cut into two pieces, and a Proof of Death letter from the funeral home. Mail to ServiceOntario, P. O. Box 48, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 5J3.
In person: Visit any ServiceOntario centre with the health card, proof of death, and your own identification.
Driver's licence
You can cancel a driver's licence online, in person at a ServiceOntario centre, or by mail. If there's remaining time on the licence, you may be eligible for a refund, ask when you contact them.
Other government notifications
You'll also need to contact:
- Service Canada, to report the death for the Social Insurance Number (SIN) and to apply for CPP benefits
- Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), to notify them of the death and file a final tax return
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, to cancel a passport
- Canadian Firearms Program, if the person held a firearms licence
- Any accessible parking permit, return to the issuing municipality
Your funeral director can often help you with a list of who to notify. You don't have to track all of this down yourself.
Applying for the CPP death benefit
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) death benefit is a one-time payment made to the estate of someone who contributed to CPP during their working years. If your loved one worked in Canada, they likely qualify.
Who is eligible
The person who passed away must have made CPP contributions for at least one-third of the calendar years in their contributory period, with a minimum of three years.
How much you'll receive
- Base benefit: Up to $2,500 (a lump sum paid to the estate)
- New top-up (since January 2025): An additional $2,500 may apply if the person who passed away never collected CPP or QPP retirement or disability benefits and has no eligible surviving spouse or common-law partner
This means the maximum possible death benefit is now $5,000 for eligible estates. For more details on this and other financial support available, see our guide to death benefits in Canada.
How to apply
You can apply through My Service Canada Account online or by mailing the completed ISP-1200 form to your nearest Service Canada office.
Processing time: Expect 6 to 12 weeks to receive the payment. If more than 12 weeks have passed, call Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914.
Wills and estate settlement in Ontario
Dealing with estate matters doesn't have to happen immediately. In the first few days, your focus should be on your family and the funeral arrangements. Estate settlement can begin in the weeks that follow.
If there is a will
Start by locating the will. It might be at the person's home, with their lawyer, or in a safety deposit box. The person named as the Estate Trustee (Ontario's term for executor) is responsible for carrying out the wishes in the will.
If the estate includes significant assets, property, investments, or accounts over a certain value, the Estate Trustee will likely need to apply for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee With a Will. This is Ontario's version of probate, and it gives you the legal authority to manage the estate.
Ontario's Estate Administration Tax is calculated on the total value of the estate: $5 per $1,000 for the first $50,000, and $15 per $1,000 for everything above that. On a $500,000 estate, for example, that works out to roughly $7,000, one of the higher probate costs in Canada.
If there is no will
When someone passes away without a will (called dying "intestate"), Ontario's Succession Law Reform Act determines how assets are distributed. Generally, the surviving spouse receives the first portion, and the remainder is divided among children. If there is no spouse or children, the estate passes to other relatives in a specific legal order.
The court appoints an Estate Trustee Without a Will to manage the process. This takes longer and costs more than settling an estate with a will in place.
Ontario vs. Quebec: key differences for cross-provincial families
If your family has connections in both Ontario and Quebec, a common situation in Canada, there are a few important legal differences to be aware of:
- Legal systems: Ontario follows common law, while Quebec follows civil law. Estate rules differ significantly between the two.
- Wills: Quebec offers notarial wills, which are witnessed by a notary and don't require probate. Ontario has no equivalent, most wills require probate through the courts.
- Probate costs: Ontario's Estate Administration Tax works out to roughly 1.5% of the estate's value. In Quebec, notarial wills skip probate entirely, which can save your family both time and money.
- Joint property: If your loved one co-owned property in Ontario with a right of survivorship, it passes directly to the surviving owner. In Quebec, this works differently under civil law, so it's worth checking with a lawyer.
For families dealing with assets in both provinces, it's worth consulting a lawyer who understands both systems. For more details on the Quebec process, see our guide to what happens after someone dies in Quebec.
Your Ontario death checklist: a timeline to keep you on track
When everything feels urgent, it helps to know what actually needs to happen when. Here's your Ontario death checklist with realistic timelines -- not everything needs to be done on day one.
First 24 hours
- Call the physician (expected death) or 911 (unexpected death)
- Contact a funeral home or cremation provider
- Notify immediate family members
- Secure the person's home, lock doors, check on pets, remove perishable food
First week
- Work with the funeral director to register the death and obtain the burial permit
- Make funeral or cremation arrangements, here's how long cremation takes from start to finish
- Begin locating the will and important documents
- Notify the person's employer, if applicable
First month
- Apply for the CPP death benefit
- Cancel OHIP card and driver's licence
- Notify banks, credit card companies, and insurance providers
- Contact the CRA about the final tax return
- Notify Service Canada to close the SIN
First 3 to 6 months
- Follow up on the death certificate (approximately 12 weeks processing)
- Begin estate settlement, apply for Certificate of Appointment if needed
- File the final income tax return (due by April 30 of the following year, or six months after death, whichever is later)
- Close remaining accounts and distribute assets per the will
You don't have to do this alone
If you're feeling overwhelmed right now, that's completely normal. No one teaches you how to navigate losing someone you love, and the weight of grief on top of everything else can feel impossible.
At Cleo, we've guided hundreds of families through this process. We're available 24/7, and we'll walk you through each step, whether you're in Ontario, across the country, or anywhere in between. One phone call is all it takes to get started.
Our all-inclusive cremation service covers everything, transportation, cremation, death certificates, and a basic urn, at a fixed price with no hidden fees. What we quote is what you pay.
You're doing the right thing by looking for answers. And you're handling this better than you think.
Call us any time: (438) 817-1770