Death occurring outside Québec 
Information from the Government of Canada
Transporting the body of a deceased person to Québec is the responsibility of a funeral services business.
Certain travel insurance companies offer a service to repatriate the body of a deceased person and an emergency telephone line for that purpose. For information on this subject, contact your insurance company.
If a Québec resident dies in Canada, you must contact a funeral services business in Québec. Its representative can assist the family members in repatriating the deceased’s body to Québec.
If a Québec resident dies outside Canada, you must contact the nearest Canadian government office in the country where the death occurred to find out how to proceed. If the family members are able to do so, they can contact a funeral services business in Québec. Its representative can assist them in repatriating the deceased’s body to Québec.
You must telephone the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec to notify it of the death.
If the deceased was receiving benefits or pensions paid by Retraite Québec, you must telephone Retraite Québec to notify it of the date of death and also provide proof of death.
You can ask the Directeur de l'état civil to insert the act of death made outside Québec into the Québec register of civil status . This will facilitate your task of settling the succession.
Death requiring coroner's intervention (in French only)
Information from the Bureau du coroner
A doctor or a police officer can ask the coroner to determine the probable causes and the circumstances of a death in special circumstances (such as a death in violent circumstances or where the cause of death is unclear).
The coroner can conduct an investigation or, in certain cases, hold a public inquest.
Following a public inquest, the coroner submits a report detailing the probable causes and the circumstances of death. The coroner’s report is public and available to anyone on request.
Missing persons
Information from Éducaloi
A missing person is presumed to be alive for seven years following the date of disappearance. During this period, you can apply to the court to institute a tutorship to the absentee to administer the person’s property and exercise the person’s rights.
In general, when seven years have elapsed from the date of disappearance, the Superior Court can render a declaratory judgment of death.
Death can also be declared before the end of the seven-year period if the circumstances indicate that the missing person is definitely dead, even if it is not possible to officially determine the place, date and time of death.
Last update: February 23, 2023
