A Message On Behalf Of Ontario’s Chief Coroner And Chief Forensic Pathologist – Regulation updating body transportation fees

TO: Ontario Funeral Establishments and Transfer Service Operators
FROM: Dirk Huyer, Chief Coroner for Ontario
RE: Body transportation fees summary document

I am pleased to provide you with the recently filed Ontario Regulation 114/19 under the Coroners Act governing body transportation fees associated with coroner’s cases.  Effective June 1, 2019 the current fees will be increased by 11%, followed by 2% increases each year on the 1^st of April and thereafter through to April 1, 2023. In addition, new fees have been added including:

• Wait time may now be billed per attendant, for two attendants
• Additional attendant + mileage for the additional attendant, where the case exceeds the capacity of two attendants
• Accommodations & related expenses (i.e. hotel, meals), when necessary for long distance transfers
• Administration fee for arranging air transport
• Overnight body storage where necessary, typically when arranging air transport

I am also sharing the recently revised Service Expectations as they reflect the new fees and provide increased clarity around previous transportation issues. One change that I will note here, is that in accordance with Ontario Government policies, the OCC/OFPS may no longer reimburse for meals claimed, outside of the new flat fee for accommodations and related expenses.

With regard to our procurement strategy, that work was previously put on hold, while our office worked to secure a fee increase for these services. That work has now resumed, and once drafted, we will be seeking your input to the procurement document prior to finalization. I will provide an update on this as we move closer, and once again look forward to your input at that time.

Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to remind all providers that our office issued an updated Invoice for Transportation of a Dead Body earlier this year, which can be found on the Government of Ontario’s Central Forms Repository. Please ensure you replace all old templates with the updated one and your CRA Business Number is included, otherwise the invoice will be not be processed and will be returned for replacement.

Should you use an invoice template of your own, please ensure that your legal name, CRA Business Number and contact information including address, email address and telephone number are clearly displayed prior to submitting for payment.

Click here to download Service Expectations.