Administrative questions

Can I apply for a certificate or copy of an act that concerns someone else?

If your name is mentioned in the act of the person concerned—for example, if you are the person’s mother or father or, in the case of a death, the declarant—you will not be required to establish your interest.

If your name is not mentioned in the act, you must establish your interest by explaining why you are applying for a certificate or copy of an act that concerns someone other than yourself and attach a photocopy of an official document as proof of the reason given. For more information, see the Certificates and copies of acts section.

Does the cause of death appear on the certificate or copy of act of death?

No, it doesn't. The law does not require that it be entered on an act of death.

How can I obtain a proof of death?

You can request a certificate or a copy of an act of death. First confirm with the organization exactly which document is required by it so that you can be sure of ordering the right one.

For more information, visit the page Certificate and copy of act.

How much does interment cost?

Costs vary from one cemetery to another. In addition to the cost of the plot there is the cost of the monument, the engraving and the excavation (digging of the grave). 

If a person dies, do I have to destroy any certificate or copy of an act that concerns the deceased?

No. You should keep the documents in a safe place. Civil status documents do not have an expiry date. They retain their legal value and may be useful in future.

What do I do if a death occurs?

It is always preferable for funeral wishes to be planned ahead of time. But if nothing has been done, the first thing to do is to contact your funeral cooperative. It can provide all professional services involved in disposing of the remains and look after the legal formalities associated with the death. There will be a trained advisor on site to answer all your questions and guide you through the various procedures relating to the death. 

What document do I need to settle a succession (estate)?

You should apply for a copy of the act of death because it is an integral reproduction of the information contained in the act.

What explains the time period for entering a death in the Québec register of civil status?

The Directeur de l'état civil (DEC) must receive the copies of forms Attestation of Death and Declaration of Death (identified as the DEC copies) in order to enter a death in the Québec register of civil status. The process of entering a death in the register begins upon receipt of these two documents.

Registering a death involves

- the analysis of documents received (information declared;missing information, signatures, etc.)
- the collection of missing information from the declarant of the death or from the health care facility, where applicable
- the search and validation of information in the register (change of name, birth, marriage or civil union, divorce)
- the addition of a mention on the deceased's act of birththe addition of a mention on the deceased's act of marriage or civil union, where applicable
- the entry in the register of the deceased's act of death.

The time required for processing can also vary according to the number of events to enter in the register or the complexity of the files.

For more information, consult the section Entering of events in the register of civil status.

Funerals

Can we scatter the ashes of the deceased?

There is no law governing the method of disposal of the ashes of a deceased person. Consequently this can be done anywhere, in accordance with the wishes of the deceased or the family, except where contrary to municipal by-laws. 

How long does a visitation last?

A visitation lasts as long as the family wants it to. That is generally a half day, one day or two days. The visitation can also be held one hour before the religious service. 

What is the purpose of the visitation?

The purpose of the visitation is to display the body or ashes of a deceased person as a way for people to say goodbye to the late family member. It is also a funeral rite which gives friends the opportunity to extend their sympathy to the family. The visitation is a choice which is personal to everyone. 

General questions

If a person dies, do I have to destroy any certificate or copy of an act that concerns the deceased?

No. You should keep the documents in a safe place. Civil status documents do not have an expiry date. They retain their legal value and may be useful in future.

What do I do if a death occurs abroad?

The first thing to do is to contact your funeral cooperative. It will look after bringing the remains back into the country. 

What does it cost to lease a niche in a columbarium?

Every columbarium has its own pricing policy. There is no standard price. Usually, a niche at eye level will be more expensive than a niche at floor level. Some funeral homes permit families to place objects inside the niche, while others do not. 

What is a charnel house?

A charnel house is the place where caskets are stored to await burial in the spring. 

What is a columbarium?

A columbarium is all of the compartments known as niches where cinerary urns are placed. A columbarium normally forms a wall or part of a wall inside a building. A columbarium can also be outdoors. Columbaria are usually the property of cemeteries or funeral homes. 

What is a crematorium?

It is the place where cremations are carried out. 

What is a crypt?

Also called a wall-niche tomb, this is a site inside a mausoleum in which it is possible to deposit a person's body inside its casket. This type of burial is an alternative to traditional interment. 

What is a family register?

The family register is a list of personal property and information. It helps to facilitate the work of the liquidator after the death. The funeral cooperatives network has produced a booklet called To those I leave behind, in which this information can be recorded. Ask for it at your funeral cooperative.

What is a mausoleum?

This is a building in which columbaria and crypts (wall-niche tombs) are laid out. 

What is a niche?

The niche is the site in a columbarium for accommodating an urn. 

What is a thanatologist?

Also known as a funeral director, the thanatologist is the professional who interacts with people who have lost a loved one. 

What is a vault?

A vault is a sealed container in which the casket is placed for protection. 

What is cremation?

Cremation is the process whereby the body of the deceased is reduced to ashes by incineration. 

What is thanatopraxis?

Thanatopraxis is a set of operations necessary to perform an embalming. Embalming, the purpose of which is to preserve the body of the deceased for the visitation, consists in halting the deterioration of the body by injecting preservative fluids into the tissue. 

What is the purpose of a cinerary urn?

The cinerary urn is a container in which a person's ashes are deposited. The choice of a cinerary urn is a personal one. Urns have different shapes and different prices. There is the traditional urn of wood, marble or granite, but also pendants and reliquaries. A pendant is a jewel which may contain ashes suspended from a neck chain. A reliquary is smaller than an urn, but its purpose is similarly to contain ashes. The urn can be kept at home, interred in the cemetery or placed in a columbarium.