According to a 2012 survey conducted by lawyers' insurance company LawPRO, 56 per cent of Canadian adults do not have a signed will and 71 per cent do not have a signed power of attorney. The Ontario Bar Association hopes to tackle this issue during Make a Will Month, a public outreach campaign aimed at educating the public about the importance of executing a will and powers of attorney and informing the public about the ways in which lawyers can assist in estate planning.
Throughout the month of November, OBA member volunteers are presenting more than 40 free public legal information sessions at libraries and community hubs in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and Cambridge. Make a Will Month also includes a public campaign on social media, GO Transit and in select Toronto transit stations and shopping centres.
The campaign not only serves to remind the public of the importance of making a will, but it's also a useful opportunity for lawyers to refresh themselves on the tenets of estate planning and to inform themselves about current issues in estates law, including developments on such topics as digital assets, foreign assets and foreign beneficiaries, and planning techniques for blended families.
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