Does an executor who lives in another country have to post a bond before an Ontario court will appoint them?

Often, yes. Ontario courts can require an estate trustee who lives outside the province — and especially outside Canada — to post a bond, a form of security, before issuing the Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee. The idea is to protect beneficiaries and creditors: if something goes wrong with the estate's administration and the trustee is out of reach, the bond gives the estate a source of recovery.

Whether a bond is actually required, and how much, is decided on the specific application rather than through one fixed universal rule, and it isn't automatic in every non-resident situation. The court looks at things like the size and complexity of the estate, whether the will already addresses the issue, and how much practical risk the trustee's location creates. Importantly, a bond requirement can sometimes be waived where the will expressly says no security is required, and a court can also reduce what would otherwise be required in appropriate circumstances. Because bonding adds cost and can slow down getting appointed, anyone named as executor while living abroad should raise this early with the estate's Ontario lawyer, ideally before the application is filed, so the issue doesn't stall the whole process.