Who is responsible for arranging the funeral? - Helen Low
Where the deceased left a will, the executor named in the will is responsible for arranging the funeral and paying the funeral expenses from the deceased’s estate. BC law sets out a priority order if the executor is unwilling to give instructions (see section 5 of the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act). The right to give instructions passes to the person who is next in priority. After the executor, next in priority is the spouse of the deceased, followed by the adult children of the deceased (in age descending order), the adult grandchildren, a parent of the deceased, an adult sibling, an adult nephew or niece, and so on.
Helen Low, QC
Helen Low, QC is a lawyer with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Vancouver. She practises primarily as a wills, estates and trusts lawyer.
See our page on making the funeral arrangements for more information on the issues involved.