Family Resources

You may be feeling overwhelmed with decisions and confusion. You may be in personal distress. You can get support whether you’re having a hard time or just need someone to talk to.

Each death is different. Handling the affairs of someone who died is also different. You will make many decisions. The process can take a few months or many years. Not everything here will apply to you, but it will point you in the right direction.

An employee in B.C. gets up to three days of unpaid leave when an immediate family member dies. Talk to your employer about time off work. There are also financial support options.

An executor or administrator is responsible for tasks involved with a death. Friends or family can support these tasks. A will may name an executor. If there’s no will, you can apply to handle the estate.

You can use a journal to stay organized, or print the After a Death Checklist (PDF, 3.8MB) which lets you check off tasks and make notes. Many people find this helpful. Keep it in a safe place. Collect important documents and keep them in the same place.

If someone has died, these are the steps you can take:

• Let important people know, this could include family or friends
• Find the will and estate information, determine the executor or administrator
• Decide if you want to use a funeral home (see also "What happens to their body?")
  • Find a Funeral Home
• Register the death and get the death certificate(s)
• Plan a funeral or memorial
• Get financial or emotional support
• Cancel services and accounts for the person who died

If the person who died had a will, it may include instructions for an event or memorial.

• Manage Wills & Estates: With a Will

If the person who died did not have a will, an administrator may need to handle the estate and decide how to honour their wishes.

• Manage Wills & Estates: No Will

Learn more at Funerals & Memorials. See also Searching for a Wills Notice

• Find a funeral home

The coroner will tell you when the person’s body can be moved, often to a funeral home.

The only person who can allow a funeral director to move the body is

• The person named in the will or
• The person authorized by the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act: section 5(1).

Private Transfer

If you want to privately transfer the remains to a funeral home, crematorium or cemetery, see Consumer Protection BC’s information on private transfers. Service BC (1-888-876-1633) may assist in providing information on getting a permit for a private transfer.

• See also Private Burial

Donation

The person who died may have been registered as an organ donor.

• Learn about the organ donation process in B.C.

Some people choose to donate their body for research or study.

• Body Program, University of British Columbia

This is a list of documents that are useful when dealing with a death. Since every death is different, you might not need everything listed.

• Death certificate
• Will
• Passport
• Identification cards, which may include Social Insurance Card, driver’s license, BC Services Card, or others
• Birth certificate
• Letters of probate or administration
• Property documents
  • Title/deed
  • Tax and lease information
  • Mortgage statements
• Vehicle ownership and registration
• Financial information
  • Bank cards or statements
  • Tax information
  • Line of credit or loan statements
  • Investments and shareholder agreements
  • Stock and bond certificates
• Insurance policies, group benefits coverage
• Citizenship, residency or immigration documentation
• Marriage certificate, divorce or separation papers
• Retirement accounts and pension statements

Register a Death

A funeral home typically registers a death. If you don’t work with a funeral home, you can register the death at a Service BC location or through the Vital Statistics Agency (1-888-876-1633) once you have the Medical Certificate of Death from a coroner or physician.

• Learn more about death registration

You will need information about the person who died:

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Birthplace
• Personal Health Number
• Social Insurance Number
• Occupation
• Spouse’s name and maiden name, if applicable
• Full name of father and father’s birthplace
• Full name of mother (maiden name) and mother’s birthplace
• Method of disposition (burial or cremation)

Order a Death Certificate

A death certificate is a piece of paper that is used as proof of death and contains information from the death registration. The number you need to order will depend on the services you need to access or cancel. In many cases, you can make your own copies, but some services require a certified copy. A Notary can make copies for a fee. See Who to Notify. Anyone can order death certificates at any time from the funeral home (if used) or by contacting the Vital Statistics Agency (1-888-876-1633).

• Order a death certificate

• See British Columbia Bereavement Helpline (and BC Victims of Homicide)

A free helpline for grief. This non-profit confidential service connects you to a caring volunteer who can listen. They are familiar with support groups, organizations and resources across the province.

How to Contact

• 1-877-779-2223 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm)

• See Crisis Centre BC

A free helpline providing support to people in distress. Call if you’re worried, upset, confused or just want to talk to someone.

How to Contact

• 1-800-784-2433
• Online chat support for youth
• Online chat support for adults

• See Counselling BC

Search for a counsellor or psychologist in British Columbia. Find a professional who can help you with grief or other difficulties that come up when someone dies.

• See BC Centre on Substance Use

Get help with substance use or addiction.

• See Need2 Suicide Prevention Education & Support

Offers suicide prevention resources, including support groups and programs.

How to Contact

• Suicide Support Group
• Online chat support, text support, email counselling for youth

• See Canadian Virtual Hospice

Free information and support for life-threatening illness, end of life care, loss and grief, including:
 

• MyGrief.ca

Confidential support developed by families and grief experts. Online information and interactive lessons to help you cope with grief. Free for Canadians.
 

• LivingMyCulture.ca

Sharing of cultural stories and wisdom about living with serious illness, end of life and grief.

• See Bereavement Leave

An employee in B.C. is entitled to up to 3 days of unpaid leave when an immediate family member dies.

Do This

• If you need unpaid leave to grieve, attend a funeral or take care of issues relating to the death of an immediate family member

What You Need

• To be an employee in B.C.

How to Contact

• 1-833-236-3700

• See Funeral Costs Supplement
• See Ministry Assistance with Funeral Costs (PDF)

If you can’t afford the funeral costs of a person who dies in B.C., you might qualify for funds to help with a portion of the costs.

Do This

• If you can’t afford the funeral costs
• If the assets of the person who died don’t cover the funeral costs

What You Need

• Social Insurance Number (but not the physical SIN card) of the person who died

How to Contact

• 1-866-866-0800

Panel Body

• Apply for the Death Benefit – Government of Canada

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) death benefit is a one-time, lump-sum payment to the estate on behalf of a deceased CPP contributor. The amount of the death benefit depends on how much and for how long the deceased contributed to the CPP. The maximum is $2,500.

Do This

• If the person who died contributed to CPP

What You Need

• Application for CPP Death Benefit Death Certificate (ISP1200)
  • Or certified copy or an alternative document
  • See How to Apply for the Canada Pension Plan Death Benefit (PDF)
• Social Insurance Number recorded on all documents

How to Contact

• Service Canada (1-800-277-9914)

• Apply for the Children’s Benefit – Government of Canada

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) children’s benefit provides payments to dependent children of deceased CPP contributors if the contributor has made enough contributions to CPP.

Do This

• If the person who died contributed to CPP and had dependent children

What You Need

• Application for a CPP Survivor's Pension and Child(ren)'s Benefits (ISP1300)
• Application for a CPP Child's Benefit (ISP1400)
• Declaration of Attendance at School or University

How to Contact

• Service Canada (1-800-277-9914)

• Apply for the Allowance for the Survivor – Government of Canada

The Allowance for the Survivor benefit is available to people aged 60 to 64 who have a low income, who are living in Canada, and whose spouse or common-law partner has died. A person must apply in writing for this benefit.

Do This

• If you’re aged 60 to 64, have a low income, live in Canada, and have a spouse or common-law partner who died

What You Need

• Statement of Income for the Renewal of the Guaranteed Income Supplement
• Allowance or the Allowance for the Survivor application form
• Application for the Allowance or Allowance for the Survivor form

How to Contact

• Service Canada (1-800-277-9914)

• Apply for Caregiving Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits – Government of Canada

If you have taken time off work temporarily to care for or support a family member who was gravely ill and has died, you may be eligible for Caregiving Benefits through EI.

Do This

• If you took time off work to care for a family member who was ill and died

What You Need

• Authorization to release a medical certificate
• Medical Certificate
• Record of Employment
• Attestation for non-family members
• Your personal and employment information

How to Contact

• Service Canada (1-800-277-9914)

• Cancel EI or Request EI payments – Government of Canada

Let Service Canada know if the person who died was receiving EI. If the deceased person had not applied for EI benefits, the legal representative can apply in the name of the person who died. EI benefits may be paid to the legal representative or a person authorized to inherit property of the person who died.

Do This

• If the person who died was receiving EI

What You Need

• Completed Request for Payment of Benefit on Behalf of a Deceased Person (INS2882)
• Copy of the Death Certificate
• A certificate from the director of a funeral home or an administrator of a hospital or clinic, or a letter from a physician, graduate nurse, or member of the clergy

How to Contact

• Service Canada (1-800-277-9914)

• See Crime Victim Assistance Program

Under the Crime Victim Assistance Program, immediate family members of an injured or deceased victim, and some witnesses may be eligible for financial assistance or benefits relating to crimes which occurred in B.C.

Do This

• If the person who died was a victim of a crime

What You Need

• Crime Victim Assistance Program — Application Forms

How to Contact

• Crime Victim Assistance Program (1-866-660-3888)

• See ICBC Autoplan Insurance Funeral Coverage (PDF, 502KB)

If an insured person is killed in a motor vehicle crash, Basic Autoplan will reimburse burial and funeral expenses of up to $7,500.

Do This

• If the person who died was killed in a motor vehicle crash

What You Need

• Reported claim

How to Contact

• ICBC (1-800-910-4222)

• Apply for Canadian Armed Forces Survivor Benefit Entitlements – Government of Canada

If a member of the Canadian Armed Forces dies, their legal spouse or common law partner, their children under the age of 18 years, or their children aged 18 to 25 years enrolled as a full-time student, may be eligible for a survivor pension or child pension.

Do This

• If the person who died was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces

What You Need

• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificates of survivors
• Sworn declarations
• Documented evidence of common-law relationship

How to Contact

• Service Canada (1-800-277-9914)

• See Last Post Fund

The Last Post Fund delivers the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral & Burial Program. It helps with funeral, burial and grave marking for Veterans who meet the financial and service criteria.

Do This

• If the person who died was an eligible military Veteran

What You Need

• See financial and service criteria

How to Contact

• Last Post Fund (1-800-465-7113)

• See WorkSafe BC Financial Assistance and Funeral Expenses

WorkSafe BC provides information for compensation on death of a worker including funeral and other death benefits. Where compensation is payable as the result of an injury resulting in death, an amount for funeral expenses is paid with other compensation.

WorkSafe BC also has a booklet with information on assistance available and lists resources that may be helpful following a work-related death.

Do This

• If the person who died as a result of a workplace accident

What You Need

• Full name of the person who died
• Their date of birth
• Their date of death
• Their Social Insurance Number (if available)
• Their employer's name

How to Contact

• WorkSafe BC (1-888-967-5377)