Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in Canada
This guide explains what happens after a death in Canada, who to contact, and how to arrange for your loved one to be brought home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Facts for British nationals come from FCDO and government sources. Every situation is different, and if you would like us to take over the arrangements, send us the details.
Typical timeline
7-14 days
FCDO 24hr helpline
+44 (0)20 7008 5000
Familiar System, Unfamiliar Scale
Canada operates a system that is recognisable to British families: English-speaking (mostly), clear legal framework, professional funeral industry. The shock, for families who assume Canadian bureaucracy will be straightforward, is the scale of the country. Canada is larger than the entire European Union. A death in Whitehorse (Yukon) and a death in Toronto are both in Canada, but they are operationally almost as different as two separate countries.
Provincial variation mirrors the US state-by-state complexity discussed in our USA guide. British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick use a coroner system. Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan use a medical examiner system. The authority handling unexpected deaths, the forms required, and the typical timeline differ by province. The death certificate shows cause of death in all provinces.
Quebec: A Different Legal System
Quebec operates under the Code civil du Québec rather than the common law system used by every other province. Funeral and civil registration law is different. Bilingual documentation is available but the default remains French. For British families whose loved one died in Montreal or Quebec City, the process has more in common with France than with Ontario. Factor in the language difference when planning communications with local authorities.
Remote and Wilderness Deaths
Canada sees a significant number of British tourists each year visiting national parks, ski resorts, and wilderness areas. Deaths at Whistler or Banff require mountain rescue involvement before any documentation begins, adding days to the process. Deaths in truly remote areas (fishing lodges in the Northwest Territories, hiking routes in Nunavut, or fly-in wilderness camps in the Yukon) can involve recovery operations lasting several days before the body even reaches a mortuary.
Winter weather adds another dimension. Road closures and flight cancellations due to snowstorms are not rare in Canadian winters. Internal transport delays are a realistic risk for deaths occurring outside summer months in northern provinces and territories.
First things first
What to do in the first 24 hours
The immediate period after a death abroad is disorienting. Here are the steps in the order they normally need to happen.
Contact local emergency services
Call 911 for emergency services. If death occurs in hospital, the hospital handles initial procedures. Unexpected deaths may trigger coroner or medical examiner involvement (system varies by province). Contact the British High Commission in Ottawa or nearest consulate.
Local emergency number: 911
Contact the embassy or consulate
Tell the embassy or consulate of your loved one's own country as soon as possible. It can register the death, give you a list of local funeral directors and explain what the local authorities will need.
British nationals, FCDO 24hr: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
Appoint a local funeral director
A local funeral director in Canada will take care of the body, arrange embalming, obtain the necessary documents, and coordinate with airlines. The embassy can recommend accredited directors. You can also contact a specialist UK repatriation company, who will coordinate with a local partner on your behalf.
Contact your travel insurer
If your loved one had travel insurance with repatriation cover, contact the insurer immediately. They will often have an emergency assistance line and may appoint their own funeral director. Many policies cover the full cost of repatriation, subject to the limit set out in the policy schedule.
Gather the required documents
Repatriation from Canada requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
- Canadian death certificate (provincial)
- Embalming certificate
- Freedom from infection certificate
- Passport of deceased (or copy)
- Transit permit
- Airline cargo documentation
Documentation typically takes 5-10 days to complete.
What the embassy can do
What the embassy cannot do
What to expect
How long does it take?
Factors that can extend the timeline
- Provincial variation in coroner/medical examiner systems
- Remote location (northern territories, mountain resorts, wilderness areas)
- Coroner/medical examiner investigation for unexpected deaths
- Alberta and Saskatchewan use medical examiners; Ontario and BC use coroners
- Quebec documentation may be initially in French
- Winter weather can affect transport from remote areas
- Internal transport across Canada's vast distances
Cost guide
What affects the cost?
Nobody publishes a reliable figure for Canada alone. Our cost page sets out the ranges repatriation firms publish, each named and dated. What you pay turns on the specifics of the case.
| Where the death happened | Distance to the departure airport, and any island or overland transfer, changes the freight arrangement |
| Whether a post-mortem is ordered | An investigation holds the release and adds mortuary time |
| Documentation required | Canada paperwork, translation, and any legalisation step |
| Coffin and preparation | Airline and destination rules dictate what is needed |
| Flight availability | Direct services cost less to arrange than multi-leg cargo routing |
| Insurance | Whether a policy covers repatriation, and up to what limit |
Send us the details and we will give you a figure for your case, with no obligation.
Common questions
Questions families ask about deaths in Canada
We do not publish a figure for Canada, because the cost turns on the specifics of the case. What moves it is where the death happened, whether an investigation must conclude first, the documentation Canada requires, and the flight routing available. Send us the details and we will price your case, with no obligation.
Repatriation from Canada typically takes 7-14 days. The fastest cases complete in 7-10 days where nothing is contested. Cases involving a post-mortem or a police investigation can take 3-8 weeks.
Deaths in remote areas, mountain resorts (Banff, Whistler), northern provinces/territories, or Atlantic provinces may require internal transport to Toronto or Vancouver. Canada's vast size (second largest country in the world) means internal distances can be enormous.
Cremation is available in Canada. Widely available across Canada. One of the highest national cremation rates in the world (~73%). Where cremation has taken place, ashes can usually be carried to the UK in hand luggage with the cremation certificate, which is the least costly way to bring someone home. Do NOT cremate if a UK coroner may need to hold an inquest.
Good direct Toronto and Vancouver to London connectivity. Eastern Canadian deaths are faster and cheaper to repatriate due to shorter flight. Western/northern Canadian deaths add internal transport costs. Remote northern deaths (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut) can involve extremely complex logistics.
Canadian funeral culture is broadly similar to British and American funeral culture. English-speaking (except Quebec), familiar systems, and professional standards.
Full repatriation guide for Canada
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, what affects the cost, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideCremation in Canada
If local cremation is the right choice for your family, our country guide covers the documentation, airline rules, and costs.
Cremation guideSend us the details
If you need someone to take over the arrangements, tell us what has happened. We arrange repatriation from Canada to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Send an enquiryTell us what has happened in Canada
Send us the details and we will explain what happens next and prepare a quote for bringing your loved one home, to the UK, Ireland or any other country.
Reviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance, official embassy contacts, and professional repatriation experience. Facts last checked September 2026; page updated .
Official lists for Canada
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from Canada · Frequently asked questions