Coroner services

Coroner services reviews all suspicious or questionable deaths in New Brunswick and conducts inquests when required. They will determine how, when, where and by what means the death came to be and, in some cases, may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.

Next of kin can request documents including autopsy reports, toxicology reports or coroner’s declaration with the online form (PDF 143 KB).

An inquest is a formal court proceeding that allows for the public presentation of all evidence relating to a death. The inquest is led by the Chief Coroner, Deputy Chief Coroner or a regional coroner. However, recommendations can be made aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances in the future.

In New Brunswick, inquests are mandatory when a worker dies because of an accident while working in a woodland operation, sawmill, lumber processing plant, food processing plant, fish processing plant, construction project site, mining plant or mine, including a pit or quarry.

The committee, led by the Deputy Chief Coroner, reviews deaths that occur as a result of domestic violence and makes recommendations to help prevent similar deaths in similar circumstances. They analyze cases to make recommendations of ways to prevent similar tragedies.

The Child Death Review Committee, led by the Deputy Chief Coroner, reviews sudden and unexpected deaths of children under 19 in New Brunswick. They conduct comprehensive reviews of all child deaths to understand how and why the death occurred. They use this information to prevent future deaths and improve the health, safety and well-being of all children in New Brunswick.