Estates Administration Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22

• Jurisdiction: Ontario

Estates Administration Act

R.S.O. 1990, Chapter E.22

Consolidation Period: From January 1, 2022 to the e-Laws currency date.

Last amendment: 2017, c. 20, Sched. 11, s. 8, 9.

CONTENTS

Definitions

1 In this Act,

“court” means the Superior Court of Justice; (“cour”)

“judge” means a judge of the Superior Court of Justice; (“juge”)

“mentally incapable person” means a person who is incapable as defined in the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, whether or not the person has a guardian or an attorney for property under a continuing power of attorney for property; (“incapable mental”)

“personal representative” means an executor, an administrator, or an administrator with the will annexed. (“représentant successoral”) R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 1; 2006, c. 19, Sched. C, s. 1 (1); 2009, c. 33, Sched. 2, ss. 31 (1, 2).

Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y)

2006, c. 19, Sched. C, s. 1 (1) - 22/06/2006

2009, c. 33, Sched. 2, s. 31 (1, 2) - 15/12/2009

Devolution to personal representative of deceased

2 (1) All real and personal property that is vested in a person without a right in any other person to take by survivorship, on the person’s death, whether testate or intestate and despite any testamentary disposition, devolves to and becomes vested in his or her personal representative from time to time as trustee for the persons by law beneficially entitled thereto, and, subject to the payment of the person’s debts and so far as such property is not disposed of by deed, will, contract or other effectual disposition, it shall be administered, dealt with and distributed as if it were personal property not so disposed of. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 2 (1).

Idem, where under appointment

(2) This section applies to property over which a person executes by will a general power of appointment as if it were property vested in the person. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 2 (2).

Exceptions

(3) This section does not apply to estates tail or to the personal property, except chattels real, of a person who, at the time of death, is domiciled out of Ontario. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 2 (3).

Application of enactments as to probate, etc.

3 The enactments and rules of law relating to the effect of probate or letters of administration as respects personal property and as respects the dealing with personal property before probate or administration and as respects the payment of costs of administration and other matters in relation to the administration of personal estate and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of personal representatives in respect of personal estate apply to real property vesting in them, so far as the same are applicable as if that real property were personal property, save that it is not lawful for some or one only of several joint personal representatives without the authority of a judge to sell or transfer real property. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 3.

Real and personal property assimilated in matters of administration

4 Subject to the other provisions of this Act, in the administration of the assets of a deceased person, his or her real property shall be administered in the same manner, subject to the same liability for debts, costs and expenses and with the same incidents as if it were personal property, but nothing in this section alters or affects as respects real or personal property of which the deceased has made a testamentary disposition the order in which real and personal assets are now applicable to the payment of funeral and testamentary expenses, the costs and expenses of administration, debts or legacies, or the liability of real property to be charged with the payment of legacies. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 4.

Payment of debts out of residuary estate

5 Subject to section 32 of the Succession Law Reform Act, the real and personal property of a deceased person comprised in a residuary devise or bequest, except so far as a contrary intention appears from the person’s will or any codicil thereto, is applicable rateably, according to their respective values, to the payment of his or her debts, funeral and testamentary expenses and the cost and expenses of administration. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 5.

How far personal representatives to be deemed “heirs”

6 When any part of the real property of a deceased person vests in his or her personal representative under this Act, such personal representative, in the interpretation of any Act of the Legislature or in the construction of any instrument to which the deceased was a party or under which the deceased is interested, shall, while the estate remains in the personal representative, be deemed in law the deceased’s persons heir, in respect of such part, unless a contrary intention appears, but nothing in this section affects the beneficial right to any property or the construction of words of limitation of any estate in or by any deed, will or other instrument. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 6.

Trust estates and interests of mortgagees

7 Where an estate or interest of inheritance in real property is vested on a trust or by way of mortgage in a person solely, it, on his or her death, despite any testamentary disposition, devolves to and becomes vested in the person’s executor or administrator in like manner as if it were personal estate vesting in him or her, and accordingly all the like powers for one only of several joint executors or administrators as well as for a single executor or administrator and for all the executors and administrators together to dispose of and otherwise deal with it belong to the deceased’s executor or administrator with all the like incidents but subject to all the like rights, equities and obligations as if it were personal estate vesting in him or her, and for the purposes of this section the executor or administrator of the deceased shall be deemed in law his or her heirs and assigns within the meaning of all trusts and powers. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 7.

Who to be defendants in action for foreclosure where no personal representative of mortgagor

8 (1) Where there is no legal personal representative of a deceased mortgagor of freehold property, it is sufficient for the purposes of an action for the foreclosure of the equity of redemption in, or for the sale of such property that the person beneficially entitled under the last will and testament, if any, of the deceased mortgagor, or under Part II of the Succession Law Reform Act, to such property or the proceeds thereof be made defendant to such action, and it is not necessary that a legal personal representative of the deceased mortgagor be appointed or be made a defendant thereto unless it is otherwise ordered by the court in which the action is brought, but, if during the pendency of such action, the equity of redemption devolves upon and becomes vested in a legal personal representative of the mortgagor, the legal personal representative shall be made a party to the action. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 8 (1).

Definition

(2) In subsection (1),

“mortgagor” includes the assignee of a mortgagor and any person entitled to or interested in the equity of redemption. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 8 (2).

Vesting of real estate not disposed of within 3 years

9 (1) Real property not disposed of, conveyed to, divided or distributed among the persons beneficially entitled thereto under section 17 by the personal representative within three years after the death of the deceased is, subject to the Land Titles Act in the case of land registered under that Act and subject to subsections 53 (3) and (5) of the Registry Act, and subject as hereinafter provided, at the expiration of that period, whether probate or letters of administration have or have not been taken, thenceforth vested in the persons beneficially entitled thereto under the will or upon the intestacy or their assigns without any conveyance by the personal representative, unless such personal representative, if any, has signed and registered, in the proper land registry office, a caution in the form prescribed by regulation under subsection (7), and, if a caution is so registered, the real property mentioned therein does not so vest for three years from the time of the registration of the caution or of the last caution if more than one was registered. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 9 (1); 2017, c. 20, Sched. 11, s. 8 (1).

Verification

(2) The execution of every caution shall be verified by the affidavit of a subscribing witness in the manner prescribed by the Registry Act or the Land Titles Act, as the case may be. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 9 (2).

Effect

(3) A caution registered or reregistered under this section or under section 11 is effectual only as to the real property mentioned in the caution. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 9 (3).

Withdrawal of caution

(4) The personal representative, before the expiration of the three years, may register a certificate in the form prescribed by regulation under subsection (7) withdrawing the caution in respect of the real property described in the certificate, and, upon registration of the certificate, the real property described therein shall be treated as if the caution had expired. R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 9 (4); 2017, c. 20, Sched. 11, s. 8 (2).

Verification

(5) The certificate of withdrawal shall be verified by an affidavit of a subscribing witness in the form prescribed by regulation under subsection (7). R.S.O. 1990, c. E.22, s. 9 (5); 2017, c. 20, Sched. 11, s. 8 (3).

Renewal of caution

(6) Before a caution expires it may be reregistered and so on from time to time as long as the personal representative considers it...