Next steps & signing
Your will is a draft until you sign and witness it correctly for your province. Here’s how to make it count - and when to get help.
Before you sign
This is a will-drafting tool, not legal advice, and using it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Laws vary by province and territory and change over time. For complex situations (blended families, a business, a disabled dependant, a large or cross-border estate, or any dispute) a lawyer’s review is strongly advised. Review your will after every major life event.
Signing instructions
Choose a province above for tailored signing instructions.
Storing your will
- Keep the original in a safe, dry place - a fireproof box, safety deposit box, or with a lawyer/notary.
- Tell your executor where it is and how to access it.
- Keep a copy for yourself; never write on the original after signing.
- Avoid storing the only copy where it could be lost or destroyed.
Find a notary or witness
For witnesses, ask two trusted adults who are not beneficiaries and not married to a beneficiary. In Quebec, a notary can make a notarial will. Elsewhere, a commissioner of oaths can help administer some documents but is not required for a standard will - your witnesses’ signatures are what matter.
When a lawyer is strongly advised
- Blended families or children from prior relationships
- You own a business or have complex business interests
- A dependant with a disability who relies on government benefits
- A large or cross-border estate (property or beneficiaries outside Canada)
- Any likely dispute among family or beneficiaries
Review your will after major life events.
Marriage, divorce, birth, death, a move to another province - revisit your will and your beneficiary designations.