Death Registration
In the event of a death, the attending physician or coroner completes the Medical Certificate of Death and gives it to the Funeral Director with the body of the deceased.
To register a death, a family member or executor with the help of the Funeral Director must complete the Statement of Death with information about the deceased. Once completed, the Medical Certificate of Death and the Statement of Death are submitted to the local Municipal Clerk’s Office by the Funeral Director for registration with the Office of the Registrar General (Province of Ontario). It may take up to 12 weeks for a death to be registered in Ontario.
Cause of death information gathered from death registrations is used for medical and health research and for statistical purposes.
Burial Permits
In most cases, Funeral Directors oversee the process of obtaining a burial permit. Funeral services, including cremation, cannot be performed until a burial permit is issued. You need this permit, even if the burial or other arrangements will take place outside the Province of Ontario.
If the family is not using a funeral service provider, the Ontario municipality where you register the death can help you obtain a burial permit. It is issued at the time the death is registered.
Death Certificates
The Funeral Director will issue copies of proof of death that you can use in certain situations. There are some organizations, however, that may require an official death certificate (legal record of death) from the Office of the Registrar General (Province of Ontario).
You may need a death certificate to:
- settle an estate
- access insurance benefits
- access or cancel certain government services (for example, health card, pension)
- research a family tree
You can apply for a death certificate at any time, but it cannot be issued until a death is registered. Once a death is registered you may apply online through the Service Ontario Website or by visiting a Service Ontario location.
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