The draft itself is a wording aid and is not yet a valid will. A will becomes valid once you copy it out entirely in your own handwriting and sign it. In most provinces (Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia) a fully handwritten, signed will (a holograph will) is valid with no witnesses. In British Columbia and Prince Edward Island a holograph will is not recognized, so you must sign in front of two witnesses instead. Our draft is a template for you to copy out by hand.

For a holograph will, Canadian provinces that recognize it (such as Ontario under the Succession Law Reform Act and Quebec under article 726 of the Civil Code of Quebec) require the entire text to be in the will-maker's own handwriting and signed by them. A printed or computer-typed document does not qualify as a holograph will, so it would only be valid if signed in front of two witnesses.

Canada has no forced heirship, so in principle you can leave your estate to whomever you choose. However, every province has dependants' relief (in Quebec, the survival of the obligation to provide support): a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child who was not adequately provided for can ask a court to vary the will and award them support from the estate. Our draft helps you take close family into account when wording your wishes.

Keep the original somewhere safe and make sure your executor knows where it is. For extra security you can leave it with your lawyer or notary, or register it with a provincial wills registry where one exists (for example British Columbia's Wills Registry through Vital Statistics, or Quebec's register of testamentary dispositions). The most important thing is that it can actually be found after you pass away.

It is usually best for each spouse or partner to make their own separate will, often with matching (mirror) provisions that leave everything to each other and then to the children. A single joint document can create complications, so most lawyers in Canada recommend two individual wills. Our tool creates an individual draft for each of you.

Yes, at any time. You can update, add to or completely revoke your will. The simplest approach is to write a new will that states it revokes all previous wills, then date and sign it the same way. Destroying the old original also helps avoid confusion.

No. Our service creates a will draft as a wording aid. If you have a complex estate, own a business, have a blended or common-law family, or own property in more than one province or country, we recommend also speaking with a wills and estates lawyer (or a notary in Quebec).