5. Apply to be estate trustee 

To become estate trustee, you apply to the court for a certificate that gives you the power to deal with the estate.

Before you apply to be estate trustee, check to see if anyone else has already applied. Ask the estates courthouse of any Superior Court of Justice if someone anywhere in Ontario has applied to be estate trustee.

Or you may hear from a beneficiary that someone else applied.

That's because anyone who applies to be estate trustee must let the beneficiaries know that they're applying.

If more than one person applies, a judge decides which application goes ahead.

The question “How do I apply to be an estate trustee for someone who died without naming one?” has more information on how to apply.