Does Canada have a Bona Vacantia list?

[paulalou]

Hi,

Britain has an online list of recent probates that haven't been claimed, known as the Bona Vacantia. Does anyone know if Canada has a similar list, preferably online? I only ask as my dad has been contacted by a legitimate company in Britain and it's possible the deceased came from a branch of my family that emigrated to Canada a fair few years ago but we haven't been given a name yet and I just wanted to do a few checks for myself before contacting the company.

Any help would be appreciated.

Paula

[Lisa in California]

I'm not sure about Bona Vacantia, but Bank of Canada has an unclaimed balance feature:
http://ucbswww.bank-banque-canada.ca/scripts/search_english.cfm

[LemonMallie]

Unlike the UK, Canada has very few "national indexes" because our system of government divides responsibilities between the federal government and the ten provincial governments.  Probates are handled at the provincial level which means you would need to know what province the family member died in and start your search there. 

I am not sure about other provinces but here in British Columbia there is an online search available for unclaimed property including estates:

http://www.unclaimedpropertybc.ca/index.php

Regards,
Lynwen

[KarenM]

Here is info for Ontario

The Province of Ontario does not have an unclaimed property program such as exists in the United States. The "Unclaimed Intangible Property Act" was enacted by the provincial Legislature in 1989 but never proclaimed.

While a comprehensive unclaimed property law is not in force in Ontario, the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee does administer property that belonged to dissolved corporations that were incorporated in Ontario. The Office also administers certain estates on a last resort basis - generally where the deceased died in Ontario (or was an Ontario resident who died elsewhere) without a will and without known adult heirs in Ontario who were willing and able to administer the estate.

http://www.unclaimedassets.com/canada.htm

Karen