Definition of Will :

(a)    a will,

(b)       a testament,

(c)        a codicil,

(d)       an appointment by will or by writing in the nature of a will in exercise of a power,

(e)       anything ordered to be effective as a will under section 58 [court order curing deficiencies], or

(f)        any other testamentary disposition except the following: (i)     a designation under Part 5 [Benefit Plans];

(ii)    a designation of a beneficiary under Part 3 [Life Insurance] or Part 4 [Accident

and Sickness Insurance] of the Insurance Act, (iii)   a testamentary disposition governed specifically by another enactment or

law of British Columbia or of another jurisdiction in or outside Canada;

[am. 2011 -6-1. 2. 3, 4, 5. effective June 2, 2011.]

This new definition of will is expanded beyond the Wills Act definition of “a testament, a codicil, an appointment by will or by writing in the nature of a will in exercise of a power and any other testamentary disposition” to include defectively executed documents admitted to probate under the curative dispensing power in s. 58.

 

Secondly,it  expressly excludes instruments that depend on death for their operation which are governed by other parts of the WESA or other enactments, such as beneficiaries of insurance.

 A “will-maker” means a person who makes a will, replacing the words testator and testatrix.

A ”testamentary instrument” means a will or designation or a document naming a person to receive a payment or series of payments on death under a plan or arrangement