When a loved one passes away it can be a difficult and confusing time. If a physician isn’t already present during the time of death, or if prior arrangements weren’t made for an at-home death, the best thing is to call the BC Ambulance Service (911) for assistance. A physician or coroner will need to gather detailed information about the death in order to fill out a medical certificate.

As part of the registration process, a medical certificate needs to be completed by a physician or coroner and forwarded to a funeral director within 48 hours of the death. The funeral director needs this information in order to obtain a burial permit. During this stage of the process, the funeral director may contact an immediate family member (preferably someone who was present at the person’s death or during the period of illness) to gather details (such as the history of the illness, and the date of birth), for the death certificate. If a relative isn’t available, a friend or adult who was present during the death, or who knows the circumstances surrounding the death, can provide information. Once all the information is gathered, the funeral director can issue a death certificate and funeral arrangements can be made.

A death certificate (and possibly even proof of birth) is a vital document that will need to be supplied, along with an insurance claim form, before the deceased’s policy can be paid out to the beneficiary. Anyone can order a death certificate; you don’t need to be a family member, but you do need to include a reason for your request when you fill out the application form. You can pick up the form from the Vital Statistics Agency Downtown (p.74), or you can download it from the internet (www.vs.gov.bc.ca). There is a $27 fee, which you’ll need to pay when you submit the form. If you need to speak to someone, call the main office in Victoria (250 952 2681).

If you don’t know how the person has died, or if there are suspicious circumstances (including an accident or suicide), call the police immediately (911). The police and coroner or medical examiner will investigate further to determine the cause of death and collect any relevant information or evidence. In some cases, an autopsy may be conducted, but only at the request of a coroner if the medical cause of death can’t be determined. A pathologist performs the procedure in hospital. The process is concluded quickly, so families can make funeral arrangements. In some cases, a coroner might investigate further or order an inquest to determine additional facts, but it’s the role of the police to determine who’s at fault if the death is suspicious.

If a crime remains unsolved, you can hire a private investigator to work on your behalf, but make sure the investigator is someone who is licensed under the Private Investigators and Security Agencies Act.

Funeral directors can be a great source of knowledge and comfort at a difficult time and can help you understand your options when someone has died. In BC, all funeral providers are required by law to supply you with an itemised price list of the products and services they offer. Funeral directors can provide complete burial and cremation services or arrange for a body to be transported back to its country of residence for repatriation. The logistics and legalities are complicated, but funeral directors are well versed in the requirements and can make arrangements with the ‘receiving’ funeral home to ensure all needs are met. International shipping costs are around $500, but that doesn’t include the cost of a container, flights or any additional services that you might request.