A Will Registry for Alberta
NoticeConnect started in Ontario, but our Canada Will Registry is nation-wide. Law firms from Alberta have already started using it.
The Need for a Will Registry
Wills are very important documents. They determine how an estate is distributed, they prevent a complicated and expensive probate process, and they can have major tax implications.
But a will is only helpful if you can find it.
Until now, Alberta has not had a centralized will registry. When a will couldn't be found after a death, there was no effective way to find it. Probating a copy of a will is an expensive and uncertain process.
The Canada Will Registry
We launched the Canada Will Registry to solve the problem of missing wills. People are mobile and often live and work in different provinces throughout their lives. A national will registry just makes sense.
Law firms can register information about the wills in their vaults at no charge. Registering your will vault benefits firms and clients in many ways.
Searching the Canada Will Registry is an inexpensive and effective way to find a missing will. It's as simple as filling out a form, and if someone has the will you're looking for, they'll reach out to you directly.
Lawyers from Alberta are already using our registry:
The Canada Will Registry solves a problem that Alberta Estate lawyers have been asking for - a wills registry that keeps people information confidential and alerts the law firm when someone searches the testator's name.
Stacy Maurier, "Drop the Mic: We have a Canada Wide Wills Registry!", July 11, 2019.
Our system automatically lets you know if someone is searching for a will that you registered. We'll give you the searcher's name, contact information, and reason for searching. You get to decide to disclose the existence of the will or not. Your data is entirely under your control.
Client Confidentiality is Protected
Data stored on the Canada Will Registry is stored and backed up exclusively in Canada, in one of the most advanced and secure data centres in the world.
Your data is encrypted (in transit and at rest) and only you have access to it. Someone searching the registry cannot find out about your wills unless you choose to disclose this information with them.
Law firms do not need to collect additional client consent forms to register the wills in their vault. We designed the Canada Will Registry to satisfy the requirements of PIPA and the LSA Code.
We had one of Canada's leading law firms prepare a legal opinion on this point:
A Source Firm's transfer of client information to NoticeConnect to obtain the Services would be to the advantage of the client. In light of the foregoing, the LSA Code does not require a lawyer to obtain client consent prior to doing so.
Contact us if you'd like to see a copy of the full legal opinion.
It's Easy to Get Started
NoticeConnect can do almost all of the work for you to get set up on our will registry.
To learn more, send an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 1-866-577-8509. We'd be happy to answer your questions or arrange a private demo.
