Wrongful Death Lawyers in Canada (2026)

About wrongful death claims

We compared 32 firms on our Canadian city lists for wrongful death work. The ten that score highest on malpractice focus, published results, client reviews and experience are ranked above, and each one links to its profile.

In Canada, the deadline to start a claim is set by each province and territory. The periods below come from our law records; open a province for its full rules, its courts and its lawyers.

Limitation periods by province and territory

• Alberta: Start the claim within 2 years after you first knew or ought to have known of the injury, that it was attributable to the defendant's conduct, and that it warranted a lawsuit, or within 10 years after the claim arose, whichever expires first.
• British Columbia: Start the claim within 2 years after the day the claim is discovered (when you knew or reasonably ought to have known of the injury, that it was caused by the provider's act or omission, and that a court proceeding was appropriate).
• Manitoba: Start the claim within 2 years after the day the claim is discovered (Manitoba's Limitations Act in force since September 30, 2022).
• New Brunswick: Start the claim within 2 years from the day the claim is discovered, and no more than 15 years after the act or omission, whichever comes first.
• Newfoundland and Labrador: Start the claim within 2 years after the right to sue arose. For personal injury and professional negligence, time does not start until you know or ought to know you have a cause of action, but no claim is allowed more than 10 years after the act or omission.
• Northwest Territories: Start an action for injury to the person, whether from an unlawful act or negligence, within 2 years after the cause of action arose; courts apply the discoverability principle to when it "arose".
• Nova Scotia: Start the claim within 2 years from the day the claim is discovered, and no more than 15 years after the act or omission, whichever comes first.
• Nunavut: Nunavut inherited the Northwest Territories Limitation of Actions Act, under which an action for injury to the person must be started within 2 years after the cause of action arose, read with the discoverability principle.
• Ontario: Start the claim within 2 years of the day you discovered it: when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, that you were injured, that a health care provider's act or omission caused or contributed to it, and that a lawsuit was appropriate.
• Prince Edward Island: Start a personal injury claim, including one for negligence, within 2 years after the cause of action arose. Canadian courts read "arose" with the discoverability principle: the time starts when the material facts were known or reasonably discoverable.
• Quebec: Quebec is a civil law jurisdiction. A claim is prescribed (time-barred) 3 years after the injury; when the injury appears progressively or late, the 3 years run from the day it first appears.
• Saskatchewan: Start the claim within 2 years from the day the claim is discovered.
• Yukon: Start a personal injury claim within 2 years after the cause of action arose, which Yukon courts read as when the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of the injury and who caused it.

For what wrongful death cases involve and how they are proven, read our guide to wrongful death lawyers; the medicine is the same, the deadlines and the courts are provincial.