If someone dies while travelling abroad, who arranges and pays to bring their remains back to Ontario?

Arranging repatriation of remains typically falls to whoever has the practical and legal authority to make disposition decisions, usually the next of kin or the named estate trustee, often working with a funeral home experienced in international repatriation, since this involves foreign death registration, documentation, and transport requirements that vary by country. This is generally handled as a practical, time-sensitive matter by family rather than something that waits for a formal court appointment.

The cost is typically treated as a reasonable expense of the estate and reimbursed or paid from estate funds, similar to other funeral and burial costs, though family members sometimes cover costs upfront and seek reimbursement afterward given how quickly arrangements need to move. Travel insurance, if the deceased had it, can sometimes cover some or all of the repatriation cost - this is worth checking early, since it can significantly reduce what the estate or family otherwise has to pay directly.

Because international repatriation involves multiple countries' rules and paperwork, working through an experienced funeral home and, where relevant, Canadian consular services abroad tends to be more practical than trying to navigate it without guidance.