Description (Service) |
Death Reporting (not occurring in hospital)
For an unexpected death, call 9-1-1
- emergency personal will respond (Fire, EMS, Police)
- when a death happens outside of the hospital, it is deemed a Coroner's Case
- police will attend, investigate, and "secure" the scene until a Coroner arrives
- Coroner is responsible for determining the cause of death, which sometimes can be done at the scene, but in most cases will require a postmortem for further testing
- Police will call for transfer service to remove the deceased once Coroner releases the scene
- Coroner decides whether the deceased is taken to hospital for postmortem, or to chosen funeral home
For an expected death, call 9-1-1, or if previous arrangements were made, call the attending physician (usually the Family Doctor)
- Doctor is responsible for pronouncing death
- once death has been pronounced, contact chosen funeral home
- transfer service will attend to remove the deceased and take to chosen funeral home
After the death has been reported
- contact chosen funeral home, complete list of licensed providers can be searched for here
- funeral home will assist with paperwork and explain what else needs to be done
- if postmortem is done, once completed the Coroner/Medical Examiner will call the next of kin with preliminary results and to inform that the body is released
- funeral home will arrange to bring the deceased to their location
Office of the Chief Coroner
- 416-314-4000; After hours emergency 416-314-4100
- Investigates all unnatural, sudden and unexpected deaths
- orders autopsies and holds inquests when required
- signs cremation certificates
- responsible for out of province shipment of bodies
- reports include public safety recommendations
- administers donations of bodies for medical education and research
- supervises and educates investigating coroner and pathologists in Ontario
- for more information, see listing MET0866
Grief/Bereavement Resources
Bereavement Authority of Ontario
- 1-844-493-6356
- regulates and supports licensed funeral establishments, cemetery operators, crematorium operators, transfer service operators, funeral directors, funeral preplanners, transfer service sales representatives, cemetery sales representatives, and crematorium sales representatives across Ontario
- A Guide to Death Care in Ontario
- see listing, MET0702
Lighthouse for Grieving Children and Families
- 905-337-2333, ages 3 and up
- offers free peer support groups for children and youth ages 3-19, and young adults ages 19-24, who are grieving the death of a parent or sibling
- see listing, OAK3505
Bereaved Families of Ontario, Halton-Peel
- 905-848-4337 ext 0, ages 6 and up
- bereavement supports and services including individual support and peer support groups
- see listing, PEL0655
Heartache2Hope
- 905-599-4673 (HOPE), ages 14 and up
- provides healing support to children, teens, and adults who have experienced a suicide loss
- 289-474-5508 (HOPELINE), Mon & Thu from 1 pm-4 pm, immediate suicide loss information and guidance
- see listing, MHH0450
Acclaim Health - Hospice and Bereavement Support
- 1-800-387-7127
- supports individuals who are experiencing grief and loss through the death of a loved one
- see listing, MHH0370
For a full listing of bereavement support resources and counselling serving Halton, see here |