Regulation - LGIC
Regulatory amendments to O. Reg. 1094 under the Vital Statistics Act
Regulation Number(s):
1094
Instrument Type:
Regulation - LGIC
Bill or Act:
Vital Statistics Act
Summary of Decision:
This regulation was approved on January 27, 2022, and filed on April 29, 2022.
Analysis of Regulatory Impact:
There are no direct compliance costs to regulated entities as a result of the amendments. The amendments are required to support registration of deaths using the electronic system. This phase is expected to result in benefits of time savings, cost savings, and improved data accuracy for the limited number of volunteer users who are participating in the first phase. It is expected that processing times for deaths registered using this system (when fully launched) would be shortened by approximately four to six weeks.
Further Information:
Proposal Number:
22-MGCS013
Posting Date:
Summary of Proposal:
The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services amended Regulation 1094 of the Vital Statistics Act. The changes support the implementation of the pilot for an Electronic Death Registration system (EDR). This phase is scheduled to be launched by ServiceOntario in spring 2022.
The EDR pilot will be implemented in a small number of volunteer funeral homes, municipal offices, and medical care settings in Collingwood, Woodstock, and Orillia that have been engaged in the user development and testing of the system prior to the launch. Upon implementation, the system will be used to register deaths by these volunteer stakeholders who will provide ongoing feedback to support further system improvements as required.
These amendments:
- Expand who may copy a Medical Certificate of Death for the purposes of death registration, body disposition, or for filing the medical records of the deceased in alignment with existing provincial legislation.
- Allow the Medical Certificate of Death to be populated by hospital and other facility staff, while continuing to require that the authorized physician or nurse practitioner is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of its contents.
- Allow the Statement of Death to be populated by funeral directors or their staff, while ensuring that funeral directors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of its contents as it was provided by the informant (e.g., family members).
- Allow for individuals who have certified a registration document such as the Medical Certificate of Death or the Statement of Death, to correct errors electronically, prior to the death being registered.
- Clarify the existing authority for division registrars, who are generally municipal clerks, to make corrections to death registration documents at any point in time that an error has been identified and the documentation for registration is in their possession.
The EDR pilot will be implemented in a small number of volunteer funeral homes, municipal offices, and medical care settings in Collingwood, Woodstock, and Orillia that have been engaged in the user development and testing of the system prior to the launch. Upon implementation, the system will be used to register deaths by these volunteer stakeholders who will provide ongoing feedback to support further system improvements as required.
These amendments:
- Expand who may copy a Medical Certificate of Death for the purposes of death registration, body disposition, or for filing the medical records of the deceased in alignment with existing provincial legislation.
- Allow the Medical Certificate of Death to be populated by hospital and other facility staff, while continuing to require that the authorized physician or nurse practitioner is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of its contents.
- Allow the Statement of Death to be populated by funeral directors or their staff, while ensuring that funeral directors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of its contents as it was provided by the informant (e.g., family members).
- Allow for individuals who have certified a registration document such as the Medical Certificate of Death or the Statement of Death, to correct errors electronically, prior to the death being registered.
- Clarify the existing authority for division registrars, who are generally municipal clerks, to make corrections to death registration documents at any point in time that an error has been identified and the documentation for registration is in their possession.
Contact Address:
Public Safety and Operations Policy Branch
56 Wellesley Street West
6th Floor
56 Wellesley Street West
6th Floor
Effective Date:
April 29, 2022
Decision:
Approved