#newfoundland

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has changed the rules aimed at burying unclaimed human remains — including how long family have to claim a body, and launching a website to help people do that.

But there are few details about how the new website will work.

According to the amended legislation, which was filed on Dec. 24 and came into effect on Jan. 1, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services will have 14 days to find a person able to claim an individual body, like a spouse, a parent, or a child.

The move comes after extensive CBC reporting revealed dozens of bodies were going unclaimed in the province's largest hospital.

If the health authority isn't able to find someone within those two weeks, they'll then post a notice on the new website for five days.