What to Do in the First 72 Hours After a Business Owner Becomes Incapacitated (Ontario, Canada Guide)

When a business owner becomes suddenly incapacitated because of illness, injury, hospitalization, or coma, the first 72 hours are usually about stabilizing the person, the household, and the business. This is not the time for perfect decisions. It is the time for clear, practical next steps.

Why this situation is different from death

If the business owner is alive but incapable, their Power of Attorney documents may apply.

In Ontario, there are two different POAs:

• Continuing Power of Attorney for Property: lets the appointed person handle financial and property matters, which can include banking, bills, and some business-related financial matters if the document allows it.

• Power of Attorney for Personal Care: lets the appointed person make personal care decisions, such as health care, housing, nutrition, and safety, if the person is incapable of making those decisions.

If no POAs are in place, family may need to explore guardianship or other legal steps, which can slow everything down.

For more details about appointing Power of Attorneys, visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/make-power-attorney

Step 1: Confirm the medical situation and identify the decision-maker

Start by confirming:

• the hospital or care setting

• the treating physician and care team

• who is authorized to receive updates (spouse, immediate family, appointed contact via their health card)

• the person’s Advanced Care Plan - Directive Forms (healthcare and end-of-life preferences and treatment identified including quality of life in different scenarios, DNR, feeding tube, ventilator, funeral wishes, etc.)

• whether a Power of Attorney for Personal Care exists

This helps avoid confusion and ensures medical decisions are handled by the right person.

In Ontario, the POA for Personal Care is specifically for health and care decisions, not banking or estate matters.

Step 2: Locate the two POA documents immediately

Family should find and review:

• the Continuing Power of Attorney for Property

• the Power of Attorney for Personal Care

These are two different documents with different purposes. If the person named in the POA for Property needs to deal with urgent bills, payroll, business banking, insurance claims, or vendor issues, that document may be essential. This POA is also responsible for contacting benefits, illness and disability coverage administrators.

Step 3: Pull together benefits, income-replacement, and health coverage information

Depending on the medical situation, duration of the hospital stay, care while in hospital, care needed outside of the hospital, etc., these documents are critical to assist the family and person undergoing care:

• private health and dental benefits

• short-term disability coverage

• long-term disability coverage

• critical illness insurance

• life insurance (if applicable)

• employee benefits booklet

• group insurance contact information

• My Service Canada Account access details, if available

• payroll contact information

In Canada, depending on the situation, income replacement may involve:

• Employment Insurance sickness benefits (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness/apply.html)

• CPP disability benefits (if the disability is severe and prolonged)
  (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp-disability-benefit.html)

• private or group disability insurance through work or a professional plan

For medical care, Ontario residents should also understand what OHIP covers, including medically necessary hospital visits and stays.

It is important to make sure that these documents are easily accessible by your POAs, spouse and/or family.

Step 4: Stabilize the business, don’t solve everything

In the first 72 hours, the goal is stability, not a full transition plan.

Focus on:

• identifying a temporary point person (spouse, appointed business executor, office manager, business partner)

• making sure staff or contractors know who the temporary point person is

• cancelling or rescheduling immediate appointments

• protecting client relationships

• pausing time-sensitive commitments, if needed

• identifying urgent payroll, rent, and vendor obligations

If the owner has a business partner, office manager, clinic manager, or senior staff member, contact them early in the process so that temporary plans can be made until the medical situation changes.

If the owner is a sole proprietor and there is no business point person, a delegated family member or trusted advisor may need to take on temporary coordination until a fuller plan is created.

Step 5: Secure access to critical systems

Family, trusted advisor or the POA for property should locate:

• business email access

• scheduling software

• payroll system

• bookkeeping software

• CRA My Business Account details

• insurance portal logins

• key supplier contacts

• emergency contact list for staff and clients

If this information has not been documented in advance, the first 72 hours can become much more difficult.

If you want to get these documents organized, check out The Dahlias Planner - Business Essentials resource.

Step 6: Communicate carefully and simply

If a business partner, office manager, or staff member needs to be notified, keep communication factual, respectful, and limited to what is necessary.

Sample phone script

Hi [Name], I’m calling because [Business Owner’s Name] has experienced a serious medical event and is currently unable to manage the business. We are working to understand immediate next steps. For now, we may need your help with [appointments / staff communication / urgent operational matters]. Can we arrange a short call today to identify what needs immediate attention?

Sample email script

Subject: Urgent: Temporary support needed for [Business Name]

Hi [Name],
I’m reaching out to let you know that [Business Owner’s Name] is currently hospitalized / medically unable to manage the business. We are working through immediate priorities and may need your support with urgent operational matters over the next few days.

Could you please let me know your availability for a brief call today?

Thank you,
[Name]
[Relationship / temporary contact role]
[Phone number]

Step 7: Keep a written log of every call and decision

This step is for the main, delegated point person (spouse, family, etc.) as it is important to track the following details and also keep a record on paper vs. memory:

• who you spoke to

• date and time

• next steps promised

• documents requested

• deadlines

This becomes very important when dealing with insurers, payroll, benefits providers, banks, and government programs.

What families should understand

A business owner’s incapacity can create pressure on both the family and the business very quickly. That is why business contingency planning matters. If the owner has already documented:

• who to contact first

• what systems matter most

• system access details/logins

• what benefits exist

• who can step in temporarily

then families are not forced to make everything up in real time.

Why Preparation Matters

Many families discover during a crisis that they lack access to critical information about the business.

When business owners prepare in advance by documenting systems and contacts, it becomes far easier for families and advisors to navigate the situation.

Business contingency planning helps ensure that the business can continue responsibly or transition in a structured way.

Suggested resources

• Ontario: Make a Power of Attorney (https://www.ontario.ca/page/make-power-attorney)

• Ontario Powers of Attorney kit (https://www.publications.gov.on.ca/store/20170501121/Free_Download_Files/300973.pdf)

• EI sickness benefits (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness/apply.html)

• CPP disability benefits (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp-disability-benefit.html)

• OHIP coverage (https://www.ontario.ca/page/what-ohip-covers)