During the year, many citizens who applied to receive death certificates from the Directeur de l’état civil (DEC) faced unacceptable waiting times. These delays triggered an exceptional volume of complaints to the Protecteur du citoyen: over 700 in the space of a few weeks. This is what led to the special investigation.
Role of the DEC
In Québec, the DEC – which reports to the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale – is responsible for recording life events in the register of civil status: birth, marriage, civil union, death. Subsequently, at the request of citizens, it issues copies of the related certificates, including death certificates.
An essential document for the estate and grieving
Until the death certificate is issued, financial institutions usually freeze the deceased’s assets. This means that the deceased’s relatives do not have access to the funds they need to meet the deceased’s ongoing obligations.
Moreover, for many people, the grieving process does not truly begin until the estate has been settled.
Causes for the delays
The Protecteur du citoyen’s investigation identified five causes for long delays:
- A rise in deaths
- Work processes
- IT systems and tools
- Human resources
- Third parties
11 recommendations
The Protecteur du citoyen recommends, in particular, that the DEC:
- Organize its registration services to keep pace with projected surges in the number of deaths.
- Reinstate a quality assurance process that was abandoned in 2023.
- Modernize its IT infrastructure.
- Inform citizens (by telephone and online) when registration waiting times exceed those promised.
For more information
For more information, see the special report (in French).
If you have problems with the Directeur de l’état civil, whether it is in relation to a request for a certificate or another service, you can file a complaint with the Protecteur du citoyen. Our services are free and easy to access.
