Cremation

Provincial law requires that the deceased be in a 'rigid container' for cremation.  In most cases this follows visitation and services and the deceased is in the casket the family purchased, or perhaps a simpler cremation container is being utilized after the rental of a casket.  

All crematoriums in Ontario require the container to be combustible.

Cremation Choices

If the body is cremated ...

1. The cremated remains can be kept at home by the family — and perhaps kept on display — in an urn or other container.  Many urns are now very artistic and are available in several styles and materials. 

2. You may take the remains in the urn selected or the simple container supplied by the crematorium and distribute ("scatter") them over the land or water.

3. The remains can be placed in a niche within a columbarium.  Niches are available which will hold more than one set of cremated remains.

4. The remains can be buried in the ground in a regular plot or in a smaller cremation plot.

5. The remains can be entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum.

Why people choose cremation

Those who choose cremation (for themselves or others) often hold the belief that it is better to honour the memory of the person, not the body.

Here are some other reasons you might choose cremation:

• Cremation is traditional in your family, religious group, or geographical area
• You prefer the body to be returned quickly and cleanly to the elements
• You have environmental concerns
• You believe it will keep the costs down

Selecting cremation does not mean, however, that you will have a less expensive funeral.

You might still choose a traditional casket and/or a viewing, and/or decide to have the cremated remains buried in the ground or placed in a columbarium. These choices can bring your costs up to and beyond those of a traditional funeral.

Decisions You Must Make If You Choose Cremation

• Who will do the cremation?  The R. S. Kane Funeral Home utilizes several crematoriums within the area.
• Which urn to select.
• What to do with the cremated remains

If you are scattering the cremated remains....

Some jurisdictions have laws prohibiting the scattering of cremated remains; others require a permit. Ask your funeral director.  Also ask if there are any firms in your area that specialize in unique ways of distributing the cremated remains, such as a plane to scatter them over a mountain, or a ship to scatter them at sea.  There are also urns available which allow you to do some of these things yourself .  Think of places that were especially loved by the deceased, close to home or far away. You can walk in the woods, by a favorite lake, or on the old family farm.

Be sure to ask permission if you want to use private property.

What about using the cremated remains to create new life, by planting a tree? Some people choose to mix the cremated remains with the soil in flowerbeds and rose gardens at home.

If you decide to do this, however, consider what will happen if, some day, you move away.  Scattering is a final act, and many manufacturers now make available urns called 'keepsakes' which allow you to keep a small portion of the cremated remains.  See our 'Personal Selections' area for more information and ideas.