Office of the Chief Coroner - Investigative Timeline
Today
Death Occurs
Coroner starts Investigation at the scene. The scene investigation may take several hours, days, or even longer depending on the circumstance.
24 Hours
Family Contacted
Families will be advised if an autopsy is required. Coroners Office will register the death with Nunavut Vital Stats in Rankin Inlet.
Up to 12 Months
Report of the Coroner
If the death is natural and no recommendations are made, the Report of Coroner will generally be completed up to 12 months following receipt of all investigative information.
2-3 Years
Coroners Inquest
A verdict of the Coroners Inquest is a summary of the circumstances of death and may include recommendations. A verdict of the Inquest will be completed and released to the family.
24-48 Hours
No Autopsy Required
Body will be released to family within 24-48 hours.
4-7 Days
Autopsy Required
The body will be flown to a southern facilities (Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg) at the earliest time. Autopsies are done in priority sequence with the exception of criminal matters. All criminal matters take precedent. Autopsies generally take 2-4 days, but can take longer in exceptional cases. The body of the deceased will be transported back to the community at the earliest time.
The timelines quoted are general guidelines. Each investigation is unique and times can vary depending on the complexity of the investigation.
The office of the Chief Coroner for Nunavut continues to meet and exceed reporting timelines to families and the public in the majority of cases.
The Chief Coroner will contact next of kin with:
Preliminary autopsy results within 24 hours of the autopsy being completed;Toxicology results; and Final post mortem findings including cause and manner of death.
While the Office of the Chief Coroner is a public agency responsible for the investigation and reporting of deaths, sensitivities and confidences must be considered in respect of some disclosures. Information will not be disclosed that may interfere with, or impede RCMP or any other agency investigation.
It is recommended at any time throughout the process, next of kin can contact the office at (867) 975-7292 to request a status update.
Occasionally, an organ must be retained from the body. The organ must be “fixed” in order for proper examination. This process takes approximately 2-3 months for the organ to be examined by a specialist. The findings become part of the autopsy report. Next of kin will make the decision for further arrangements.
Some investigations require specialized investigations and reports. These may include medical, behavioural, RCMP, fire, occupational health & safety, entomology, forensic anthropology, odontology, and other specialties. These examinations and reports can take months to complete. Where possible and when not interfering with an ongoing investigation by a third part, the Chief Coroner will advise families and next of kin of the status and progression of specialized investigations.
Toxicology results take approximately 3 months following autopsy. The Chief Coroner will call next of kin to advise the toxicology results upon availability.
Coroner’s Investigation
The Office of the Chief Coroner
Department of Justice
Government of Nunavut
PO Box 1000 Station 590
Iqaluit, Nunavut
X0A 0H0
Phone: (867) 975-7292
Fax: (867) 975-7294
Cell: (867) 222-0063
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Nunavut Coroners Office is a fact-finding service, not a fault-finding service, which is independent from government, police and other agencies.
When a person dies without warning or as a result of a traumatic and unexplained event. The Office of the Chief Coroner investigates the circumstances of the death.
Nunavut’s Coroner Service ensures that no death is overlooked, concealed or ignored and helps improve public safety by making recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
The coroner investigates a death to establish:
The identity of the deceased;
When the death occurred;
Where the death occurred;
How the death occurred, i.e. the medical cause of the death; and
By what means the death occurred (Homicide; Accidental; Natural; Suicide and Undetermined)
Certificate of Death / Proof of Death
Certificate of Death can be obtained by contacting the Government of Nunavut Vital Stats in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut:
Phone: (867) 645-8017
Proof of Death can be obtained from the Chief Coroners Office and is provided for only up to 3 month after the death of the deceased.
Role of the Coroner
Information About Next Steps
The sudden and unexpected death of someone close to you can raise some questions. if you need more information, Nunavut’s Coroner Service, though the Office of the Chief Coroner, is available for you.
Information about the next step for family of the deceased:
1) Investigation:
Each death is unique and the length of the time needed to complete an investigation varies depending on it’s complexity.
Legal next of kin will be updated regularly as the investigation progresses
An autopsy may be required as a part of the investigation; toxicology test results can take several months and autopsy report can takes up to a year.
Information may be restricted for privacy reasons and reports are only provided to the public once the investigation is finished.
2) Autopsy:
An autopsy may be ordered to determined the cause of the death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present.
All autopsies and toxicology tests are performed in three different southern facilities (Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg) by qualified pathologists.
The Office of the Chief Coroner will make arrangements and cover the cost of the body transport by air.
In rare occasions, organs may need more testing after the autopsy and families will be notified for consent.
If the Chief Coroner has declined to order an autopsy, the family can make arrangements for an autopsy and transportation at their own cost.
3) Funeral Planning:
The Nunavut Coroner Service makes every effort to accommodate the religious or cultural practices of the deceased and the family within its obligation to investigation.
Families will be advised when the body is expected to be released for funeral or ceremonial planning.
Arrangements and planning can begin before the autopsy is complete and the Chief Coroner will work with you on timing.
If the body is being transported to another jurisdiction or country, the Chief Coroner will provide any necessary paperwork.
The Nunavut Coroner Services does not pay for any funeral services.
Nunavut
Coroner’s
Service
2-3 Months
Organ Retention at Autopsy
3 Months
Toxicology
2-3 Years
Specialized Reports
THE CORONER’S INVESTIGATION
An Overview
NOTE: This brochure is for general information only and must not be interpreted as a legal description of a Coroner’s duties or the Coroner’s Inquest. Reference should be made to the Coroner’s Act for complete information
Who are the Coroners and how are they appointed?
Coroners in Nunavut are individuals appointed by the Minister. They receive specialized training for coroners and report to the Chief Coroner. Coroners investigate deaths that occur under certain circumstances as defined in the Coroners Act of Nunavut.
How does the Coroner investigate and why are the police involved?
Coroners must determine in each case the identity of the deceased and the facts as to how, when, where, and by what means death occurred. The Coroner gathers information from a number of sources, for example, from the family, neighbours, physicians, hospital records and police in order to make the five findings referred to above. Police respond to all emergency calls and often are first at the scene of a death. The Coroners Act requires that the police assist the Coroner to carry out the investigation, and, in non-criminal cases, they do so on behalf of the Coroner.
Why is the Coroner called when death is due to natural causes?
Coroners investigate all unnatural deaths such as those where foul play, suicide or accident are suspected. They also investigate some natural deaths, such as those occurring suddenly and unexpectedly; when negligence or malpractice are suspected or from an illness not being treated by a qualified physician; or whenever questions about a death can only be answered fairly after a full investigation. Also, Coroners must be notified of deaths in licensed long term care facilities.
Who calls the Coroner?
Any person who believes that a death has occurred under the circumstances set out in the Coroners Act must immediately notify a Coroner. This usually means a doctor, a nurse, or a police officer, but it can be any member of the public.
Is an autopsy required in every case?
No. Training and experience enable the Coroner to decide if the findings required can be determined without an autopsy. About thirty percent of all Coroner’s investigations require a medico legal autopsy (post mortem examination).
What is an autopsy?
A medico legal autopsy is a detailed physical examination of a person’s remains. It includes examination of the tissues visually and under the microscope and may include testing for drugs, chemicals or poisons (toxicology) or for infections (microbiology).
Is consent required for a medico legal autopsy?
No. But if there are objections, the Coroner will explain the need for the autopsy. The findings may have important implications for estate or insurance purposes, will often help to answer questions regarding hereditary aspects of disease, and may prevent anxiety from not knowing what actually caused the death.
Who performs the autopsy?
The Coroner directs a Pathologist to perform the autopsy. A Pathologist is a medical doctor with specialist training in examining body tissues visually and under the microscope. In Nunavut there are no doctors trained to perform autopsies, so the deceased is examined at a facility outside the Territory. In complex cases, a specially trained Forensic Pathologist at a Regional Centre may be required to conduct the autopsy.
Will an autopsy disfigure the body?
The Coroner and Pathologist are sensitive to the needs of family and friends who may wish to view the deceased at the funeral home. The examination is conducted in such a way that ordinary viewing does not reveal that an autopsy has been done.
Will an autopsy delay funeral arrangements?
In most cases, the answer is no. However, some aspects of the investigation may cause delay, such as the need for specialized tests to confirm the identity or the cause of death. Your funeral director will advise you as to timing for viewing and/or funeral services.
Are organs retained?
Sometimes, depending on the circumstances, whole organs (brain or heart most commonly) must be retained after the initial autopsy to perform further tests. When speaking with family members, Coroners will tell them if an organ must be retained and ask for family input on the eventual disposition of the organ after all testing is done. It is routine practice for the Pathologist to retain small samples of tissue for microscopic analysis, to assist in the determination of the cause of death.
Can organs be donated after death?
Some organs may be retrieved for donation after death. Consent is required for removal for donation purposes. In deaths investigated by the Coroner, next of kin may give consent for organ donations to the Coroner or Pathologist who performs the autopsy or to other medical persons.
How do family members obtain information?
Information pertaining to the death may be obtained from the Coroner as it becomes available. When the investigation is completed, on written request, the Coroner will provide to the immediate family (spouse, parent, child, brother, sister) or personal representative, a copy of the Coroner’s Final Report and or a copy of the Post Mortem Examination and Toxicology Reports.
Does the family receive a copy of the Medical Certificate of Death?
The Coroner creates an original copy of the Medical Certificate of Death and sends it to the Registrar General, Vital Statistics Division, Department of Health and Social Services for Nunavut. Only the Registrar General can create an official copy.
(See address below)
What other certificates are available in order to claim death benefits?
Insurance agents will advise what is required in order to file a claim for death benefits. In most cases, the insurance company will provide a Proof of Death claim form, which should be sent to the Coroner to complete. The Coroner may not have all of the information required for this service. In some cases, for example, the Canada Pension Plan, a certificate issued by the funeral director is acceptable.
Will there be an inquest?
Some deaths lead to a “mandatory” inquest under the Coroners Act. These are deaths that occur while the person is in custody. A Coroner may decide to hold an inquest to establish the identity of the deceased, the date, place and cause or the manner of the death. In addition, a Coroner may hold an inquest to make public the circumstances of the death or when recommendations might be made by the inquest jury to prevent similar deaths in the future. If an inquest is to be held, the next of kin will receive official notification. There is provision for an inquest to be requested by next of kin. Consult the Coroner on how this may be done.
If there is an inquest, does the family have to attend?
No, it is not mandatory unless a member of the family is called as a witness. The family may apply for standing which allows them to participate in the inquest process, and may be represented by legal counsel or by an agent.
Inquests are open to the public and may be reported by the media.
For further information on inquests, you may contact the Office of the Chief Coroner at the following address and telephone number:
Office of the Chief Coroner
PO Box 1000, Station 590
Iqaluit, Nunavut
X0A 0H0
Phone: (867) 975-7292
Fax: (867) 975-7294
Cell: (867) 222-0063
Death Certificates may be obtained from:
Registrar General, Vital Statistics Division
Department of Health and Social Services
PO Bag 003
Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
X0C 0G0
Phone: (867) 645-8017
Fax: (867) 645-8092
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