You’ll find the answers to some of the most common questions relating to the value of a funeral or cremation service. If you have further questions, please contact us and we will do our best to provide you with clear answers.
How much do funerals cost?
This is one of the top ten questions asked by the public to funeral directors and it can be one of the hardest questions to answer fully only because there are so many variables. The simplest answer is that it should only cost what you can afford. However, depending on choices that you make, including which funeral business you choose, if there is cemetery property involved, type of casket used, where the service is held, where an obituary notice is placed and so on, the price will vary. Feel free to call us at Classic Cremation at 604-324-8285 and we can provide you with some comparison prices from a variety of funeral businesses. To view prices for Classic Cremation, click here.
What is cremation and how does it work?
Cremation is defined as the reduction of a body to a fine ash-like substance through direct exposure to intense heat and flame. Alternative methods of cremation, such as resomation (also known as alkaline hydrolysis) are starting to be offered in other areas but are not yet available in B.C.
The process of cremation happens in a building called a crematory or crematorium. There are more than 1,000 crematories in Canada and the United States today.
Within a crematory is a special vault called a cremation chamber, or retort. Once a body has been prepared for cremation it is placed in a cremation casket or container, and the container is slid into the cremation chamber which is designed to accommodate one casket at a time. Once the chamber door is closed and tightly sealed, a trained crematory operator begins the cremation process which takes about 2-3 hours.
What is the difference between a Funeral, Memorial or Celebration of Life service?
Discerning the differences between the service names can be confusing and for some it may even seem irrelevant. What’s important to remember is that it’s not wrong to describe a service the way you want. For clarity, the various terms are described below:
“Funeral” describes a service that is held with the deceased person present in the casket. The casket may be open or closed.
“Memorial” most often describes a service that is held without the casket. Instead personal memorabilia and / or the urn may be present.
“Celebration of Life” describes a service that is very much the same as a “Memorial.” A minor difference between the two may be that the “Celebration” might be held in a less formal setting, such as at a restaurant or at someone’s home.
What happens to the body if someone dies in a hospital?
Most hospitals have a morgue, a safe and secure area in the hospital used to shelter the deceased until he or she is transferred to a funeral provider. Sometimes family may request that the deceased not be taken to the morgue for sheltering. In these situations, a funeral provider must be chosen immediately so the deceased can be transferred from the room directly to the funeral provider’s care as soon as the hospital has completed their paperwork.
Do I need to use a funeral home?
The simple answer is no. A private individual is permitted by the provincial government of B.C. to handle many of the details and arrangements required so that the cremation or burial can occur. However, there are numerous details to organize and unless advance preparations have been made to do this, it is advisable to seek some consultation on how to proceed.
For more information, go to the Family-led or Home Funerals page.
If I choose cremation, can I still have a funeral?
Absolutely. Cremation is a form of final disposition as is burial, which means, like burial, a funeral service (when the casket is present at the service) can be held, followed by the cremation.
Is embalming required by law?
British Columbian law does not require embalming to be performed when someone dies. It is a choice for the legal representative to the deceased or the next of kin to make. There are situations however, when embalming is necessary. For an in-depth conversation on this topic, feel free to contact Ngaio at Classic Cremation & Funeral Services Inc. at 604-324-8285.
Is it illegal to scatter cremated remains (ashes) in BC?
B.C. law recognizes cremation as a final form of disposition which means that the cremated remains (ashes) are not governed under the laws and regulations for burials or cremations. Therefore, permission to scatter cremated remains (ashes) is only necessary if it isn’t your own property, however with permission from the appropriate landowner, scattering may still be possible elsewhere. Please note that if you are scattering in a waterway, you must ensure that it is not a marine park.
Can a burial be done on private property?
Burial is defined in B.C. law as a form of final disposition, as is cremation, and is therefore subject to the laws regulating final disposition. As such, unless an area has been deemed to be suitable for burial by the B.C. government, burial cannot occur.
For complete information of B.C. laws on burial, please see: http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/04035_01
