Who can witness a will in Ontario?

In Ontario, a will witness should be an adult with capacity (the SLRA sets no specific witness age), must be present when the testator signs (in person or, since 2022, by audio-visual technology), and also sign the will themselves in the testator's presence and in the other witness's presence. The law does not require witnesses to read the will — they are simply attesting that they saw the testator sign.

The most important restriction is that beneficiaries and their spouses should not act as witnesses. If a beneficiary witnesses the will, the gift to that person may be void even if the rest of the will remains valid. This is sometimes called the "interested witness" rule. It applies to the beneficiary's spouse as well.

Beyond the interested-witness rule, Ontario law does not disqualify someone simply because they are a friend, neighbour, or colleague. However, using neutral third parties — people with no financial interest in your estate — is the safest approach. Lawyers and notaries often act as witnesses, which also provides a contemporaneous record that the testator appeared capable and signed voluntarily.