Ontario. Office of the Chief Coroner

• Ontario. Bureau du coroner en chef

• Office of the Chief Coroner

The Office of the Chief Coroner was established in 1961 as the result of a report submitted by a committee appointed by the Attorney General to study the Coroners system in Ontario. It was known as the Supervising Coroner's Office until a new Coroner's Act was proclaimed on 31 May 1973, when it became known as the Chief Coroner's Office.

The Office has formed part of the Department of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, the Ministry of the Solicitor General, and the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Correctional Services.

The Chief Coroner investigates sudden and unexpected deaths, informs the public about the prevention of similar deaths, orders autopsies, conducts inquests, signs certificates for cremation and for the shipment of bodies out of Ontario. The Chief Coroner is responsible for implementing the Coroner's Act and, as the General Inspector of Anatomy, is responsible for administering the Anatomy Act, (which regulates the donation of bodies for medical science). The Office inspects schools of anatomy in Ontario and supplies them with donated or unclaimed bodies. Continuing research and public education of the causes leading to death, and their prevention, is another responsibility of this office. Important issues in this area include drug use, child abuse, maternal and operating room deaths, suicides and traffic injuries.

Coroner's Act, Statutes of Ontario, 1972 chap. 98

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Canadiana Authorities,

Archivist(s):
J. Solovitch/Fontaine