FAQs

At Home:

• Expected death: call the doctor who was caring for the deceased person
• If sudden or unexpected death: call 911 or the local police. They will contact the coroner who will determine if the deceased can be released to the funeral home or if further investigation will be taken under the care of the coroner.

Death at a hospital or nursing home:

• Nursing staff will immediately arrange for a doctor, or coroner, to sign a death certificate. The doctor will tell you when it’s time to contact a funeral centre to transfer the deceased and to discuss next steps. Some facilities do not have the ability to shelter the deceased on site. You may call us at 1-800-408-6033 (available 24/7) to advise of the death and request that the deceased be transferred into our care.

Only certain people have the legal authority to decide what will happen to the body of a deceased person. In order of priority, they are:

• Executor(s) or court-appointed administrator
• Spouse
• Adult children (18 and over)
• Parents of the deceased

We require that all immediate next of kin be informed of the cremation. Should there be any objections to the cremation, we will not proceed with the cremation until an agreement is reached among the next of kin.

Once a “Medical Certificate of Death” has been completed by an authorized medical professional, our team can be notified to bring the deceased into our safe care. We will strive to pick up the deceased within a 2-3 hour window.

In some instances such as when a person is in the care of a palliative care physician, a “Funeral Transfer Service Form” will be issued by the attending Physician or Nurse Practitioner as a temporary measure until the “Medical Certificate of Death” is completed. The Funeral Director will coordinate with the appropriate medical professional.

Ontario law requires that a coroner or medical examiner authorize each cremation. We will complete cremations after the expiry of at least 48 hours from the time of death as set out on the “Cremation Application” unless otherwise directed in writing by the Executor or next of kin requesting the cremation. Generally, cremated remains will be released within 48 hours from the date the casket or container is received at our Cremation Centre.

No. It is possible for person(s) with the legal authority to provide funeral services without a license. However, if you choose to do this on your own you are taking on the responsibility to complete all necessary documentation to facilitate the cremation. It is advisable that the person(s) with the legal authority to decide on what will happen to the deceased, seek assistance and guidance from a provincially licensed funeral establishment and funeral director. For more information, see the BAO Consumer Info Guide in the Download Forms section of the website.

Yes. You may choose to have a visitation, a funeral service with the casket present before the cremation, a memorial service after cremation, or a graveside service at time of burial. If these choices interest you, please contact our offices at
1-800-408-6033 to speak with one of our funeral representatives. Currently, our Online Cremation Arrangement web tool is not set-up to offer these services.

Yes. Ontario law requires a closed casket or rigid container made of wood or other combustible material to allow for the dignified handling of human remains.

Not necessarily. The cremated remains are placed in a poly-film bag and placed in a temporary cardboard container provided by our Cremation Centre. Families can choose to purchase an urn for the cremated remains. Examples of commonly selected urns can be found in our “Products” section of our website.

Cremated remains can be buried in a grave or lot; placed in a niche above ground; scattered in a cemetery garden, cremation ossuary or some other meaningful place such as at sea or land in accordance with provincial or local laws. Where scattering is intended outside of a registered cemetery certain requirements or restrictions may exist – see “Is it legal to scatter cremated remains?” in our FAQ’s. If you are not ready to make a decision regarding a final resting place at this time, they can be taken home.

Yes, with permission of the land owner. Scattering on Crown land including land covered by water is permissible if it is unoccupied. For scattering on municipally-owned land, contact the local or regional municipality to check on any restrictions. Bear in mind that scattering outside of a cemetery may not provide a permanent memorial as the location may be sold, redeveloped, or have access restricted in the future. Note: Mount Pleasant Group offers a variety of available scattering options within its cemeteries.

Yes, but at this time our Online Cremation Arrangement web tool does not currently offer pre-arranging services. You can pre-arrange cremation services by calling 1-888-277-2643 and speak with one of our advisors. Or, to request an appointment by email, click here and one of our advisors will reach out to you:
https://www.mountpleasantgroup.com/en-CA/Plan-Ahead/Plan-Ahead-Links/Request-An-Appointment-english.aspx