Important Terms & Concepts to Understand

After Care – after the funeral event has been completed, this service may include helping with notification of government agencies, insurance claims, survivor benefits, and cancellation of credit cards.
Alkaline Hydrolysis/Aqua Cremation or Bio Cremation – is the process of flameless cremation using water, alkaline chemicals, heat, agitation, and pressure inside a special chamber.
Biodegradable Urn – urns constructed of materials such as starch, or cloth that will gradually break down when placed in the water or ground and are environmentally friendly.
Burial – placing the body inside a casket to be lowered into the ground in a cemetery or placed in a mausoleum.

Burial Casket – Precious Metal or Steel – a container to be used during the service and for transportation to the cemetery and made of bronze, copper, 16, 18, 20 and 22 gauge steel. Metal caskets are not suitable for cremation.
Burial Casket – Solid Wood – a box to be used during the funeral service and for transportation to the cemetery or crematorium and made with one type of wood specie. Typically, the bottom is constructed of non-specie wood.
Burial Casket – Veneer Wood – a box to be used during the funeral service and for transportation to the cemetery or crematorium and made of a variety of woods, with the sides and top covered with a thin wood veneer to help reduce cost. Typically, the bottom is constructed of non-specie wood.
Burial Vault – A large container used for ground burial to enclose and protect the casket and help prevent the ground above from sinking. Typically made of concrete or steel with a plastic type liner.
Cash Disbursements – additional costs paid by the funeral home on behalf of the family for items such as newspaper notices, clergy honorariums, funeral celebrants, music soloists, etc.
Celebration of Life – a type of funeral service to celebrate a life, conducted at a variety of locations.
Cemetery – location where the deceased is buried (interred) for ground burial and the urn is buried (interred) for ground interment or place in a niche located on cemetery property.
Columbarium or Niche– a structure with small specially designed compartments to inter/place the urn after cremation has taken place. These can be found in cemeteries, or in some jurisdictions may be in a funeral home or a church.
Cremated Remains/Cremains -Reducing the human body to bone fragments which are then pulverized into ash and small pieces of bone. Often referred to as ashes.
Cremation – using high intensity heat inside a crematorium chamber, reducing the human body to bone fragments which are then pulverized into a granular consistency for burial, scattering, placement in a columbarium/niche or kept in the home.

Cremation Casket – typically a hardwood or veneer wood product with an interior and wood bar handles, usually designed to be fully combustible.
Cremation Container – typically a wood container made from particle board or cardboard with minimal or no interior.
Cremation Jewellery – specially designed jewellery pieces usually with some sort of chamber that holds a very minimal amount of cremated remains.
Cremation Keepsakes – significantly smaller versions of a full size urn. Families may then divide the cremated remains into smaller portions for all family members to receive a partial amount of the cremated remains.
Crematorium – the place where the deceased is reduced to ash and bone using intense heat.
Direct Cremation/Immediate Cremation/Simple Cremation – when the deceased is taken to the crematorium for cremation without having any prior services or visitation periods.
Documentation – your local funeral provider will complete the necessary contract, government, municipal and cemetery or crematorium paperwork for the final disposition of the deceased.
Donate my Body to Science – a final disposition option selected by individuals who wish to donate their body to a medical science program for analysis followed by cremation.
Donation – money donated online or by cheque at the funeral home in memory of the deceased to a charity of their choice if known.
Dove/Butterfly Release – as part of funeral service, doves or butterflies are released to remember the life that was lived.
Eligible Funeral Arrangement – A contract or contracts with specified businesses for pre-planned funeral, cemetery and/or cremation services which Canada Revenue Agency permits to grow on a tax-free basis. Conditions and limitations apply.
Embalming/Preparation of Remains – is the process of disinfecting, restoring and preserving human remains with a variety of chemicals to delay decomposition prior to a visitation or funeral service.
Entombment – the placing of a dead body in a tomb.
Event/Reception Centre – in today’s funeral service, a number of funeral providers have designed and built specially designed buildings to hold a variety of after the funeral events.
Final Disposition – what happens with the body after death including burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis or entombment.

Flowers – a traditional component of a funeral service, sent with condolences in a variety of flower types and designs.
Funeral – associated with a ceremony for family and friends to come together to remember the deceased prior to the choice of final disposition such as burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis or entombment.
Funeral Arrangements (Burial or Cremation) – working with a funeral provider, the required and necessary detailed steps taken to arrange a funeral and the final disposition details along with the signing of a funeral contract and required paperwork.
Funeral Celebrant – a person specially trained to preside at and help guide families with developing a funeral service or final funeral event such as a Celebration of Life, Memorial service or post funeral events such as a party/dinner etc.
Funeral Director – a person specially trained and licensed to help guide families through the process of making funeral arrangements leading to the final disposition of the body.
Funeral Director’s Certificate (or Funeral Director’s Proof of Death) – a document issued by a licensed funeral provider that confirms basic details such as the name of the deceased, date and place of death. This document, in many jurisdictions, is accepted by various agencies and financial institutions in place of a government issued death certificate, for certain estate related purposes.
Government Funeral Benefits – government death benefits including the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) death benefit. Check with your local funeral provider for other financial death benefits you may qualify for.
Graveside Service – a service conducted at the graveside when burying the casket or urn at a cemetery.
Green Burial – the process of allowing a body to be buried without chemicals or container that inhibits natural decomposition, generally in a specially designated property.
Grief/Grieving – the human reactions and feelings relating to the death of a family member of friend.
Headstone/Marker – the stone or marker placed upon the grave in a cemetery.
Hearse – specially designed vehicle used to transport the deceased from the funeral home or church to the cemetery or crematorium.
Interment – the placing of the deceased or cremated remains in a grave, usually at a cemetery..
Lead or Clergy Car – a vehicle used to lead a funeral procession, perhaps transporting the clergy and funeral staff, and may also be used for administrative functions.
Limousine – specially designed vehicle to carry multiple family members and friends before, during and after the funeral event.
Mausoleum – a larger building with a number of specially designed sections for the entombment of a body above ground.
Medical Certificate of Death – a document required by the Vital Statistics act which verifies the date, location and cause of death, and is required to be completed by a physician or coroner.
Memorial Service – very similar to a funeral service, except that the body is not present. Most ‘Celebration of Life’ services are memorial services.
Memory Collage – pictures and images attached to a Memory board to form a collage of visual memories.
Official Death Certificate – a legal document confirming the death of an individual, and various statistical information, and issued by a Province, State or Nation.
Pre Pay your Pre Planned Arrangements – making a single or multiple payments by trust or insurance to ensure the cost of your funeral is paid for prior to your death.
Pre Planning/Pre Arranging – prior to your death or the death of a loved one, the process of working with a funeral provider to document your final wishes for any services you would like and the final disposition of your body for use when needed.
Private Family Gathering – visitation and/or service limited to immediate family members only. In most instances, this represents 10 or fewer people.
Receptions or Gatherings – after a funeral or part of a Celebration of Life, family and friends join to share food and drinks.

Rental Casket – rental caskets are used for multiple funeral services and are designed with a removable interior, typically inside a wood box which is then removed after the funeral service and delivered to the crematorium. The casket shell is then re used multiple times.
Scattering – after the cremated remains have been returned to the family, the practise of removing the container lid and scattering the cremated remains on land or water (check with your local funeral provider and/or city/town regulations on where or if you may scatter)
Staff Services – services provided by the funeral provider including the coordination of activities such as body pick up, making funeral arrangements, attending visitation, proceeding to the cemetery or crematorium and conducting any associated ceremonies.
Stationery or Stationery Package – may include a guest book, prayer cards, memorial stationery programs, thank you cards and bookmarks for use during a funeral service. In some cases fully custom printed and designed including photos of the deceased.

Urn – A specially designed container, usually shaped like a vase or chest, which after the cremation has taken place, the remaining ash and bone are placed into. Materials construction may include wood, sheet bronze, plastic, glass, porcelain, cloisonné, marble, biodegradable materials, aluminum, etc.
Urn returned from the Crematory – typically, the cremated remains are returned to the funeral provider in a temporary cardboard or plastic container.
Urn Vault – made of plastic or metal and used to protect the urn where ground burial of the urn is selected.
Video Tribute – a digital slide show of photographs and music in tribute to a deceased person, viewable over the internet or on a screen at a memorial event or funeral.
Visitation/Visitation period – a period of time prior to a funeral service for family and friends to gather to share condolences and memories and in some cases view the body. Also known as a wake or paying respects.

Selecting a Casket or Container – What you need to know

As you build your personal funeral plan with Funerals Made Easy, the value and cost of the casket or container at a funeral home in Canada you select will depend on several Key Factors:

Type of material used in construction – either wood or metal
Type of Interior materials – from plush velvet to crepe to basic cloth
Quality of workmanship
Designated purpose (burial or cremation)
Funeral home price structure

Type of Material Used in Construction

To start – let’s focus on Wood caskets or containers. Wood caskets can range from $800 for a Grey Cloth Covered Particle Board casket to $5,000 for a solid Cherrywood casket with a velvet interior. Cremation containers range from $495 for a MDF direct cremation container to $5,000 for that same solid Cherrywood casket for cremation. As a consumer, if your preference is for a wood casket, you should understand the value differences and select the casket that best serves your service needs, your wants, and your budget.

Wood caskets can be divided into the following broad categories:

Solid Hardwood – constructed from species such as Oak, Ash, Poplar, Cherry, Mahogany, Pecan, and Cedar. For example, these caskets would be described as Solid Cherry or Solid Poplar.

Veneer Wood – constructed using a limited amount of species-specific wood and possibly other materials such as plywood or particleboard covered with a wood veneer application. These caskets would be described as a Poplar Veneer.

Cloth-covered – constructed primarily of plywood, particleboard, or fiberboard covered with cloth in a variety of colors.

Basic Container – constructed of poplar hardwood, plywood, particleboard, fiberboard or cardboard typically used for cremation with no viewing or service.

Next let’s take a look at metal caskets, which are suitable for burial, but not suitable for cremation. Caskets made of metal are typically more durable than wood caskets. Some metal caskets use a rubber gasket to help prevent outside elements from entering the casket. The gasket does not slow down the decomposition process.

Metal caskets are most commonly divided into the following categories:

Semi-Precious – typically constructed of 64 oz. bronze or 32 oz. copper and recognized for their durability.

Steel – typically constructed of 16-gauge, 18-gauge, and 20-gauge steel. The gauge of steel represents the thickness of the steel used in construction; the smaller the number, the thicker the steel. Caskets made of stainless steel are also available.

Metal caskets can range in price from about $2,000 for a 20-gauge painted steel casket to $9,000 for a bronze or copper casket with a velvet interior.

Casket Interiors

In addition to the exterior construction of the casket, the price of the casket is impacted by its interior. More expensive caskets have a plush velvet interior, while more inexpensive models have crepe or linen interiors. You can also add customizations to the interior.

One of the most popular ways to customize the interior is with embroidered panels that are placed inside the casket lid. These panels can reflect the deceased’s love for a particular sports team, hobby, or military affiliation. In the end, the greater the customization, the greater the cost will be.

Quality of Workmanship

Although the caskets primary materials play a larger role, the design of a casket still impacts its cost. An intricately-carved hardwood casket will cost more, for example, than a plainer hardwood casket. You can find caskets that are relatively plain or more detailed. The more detailed the carving or exterior finish on the casket, the more expensive you can expect the casket to be.

Designated Purpose

Caskets and containers that are manufactured for cremation often feature a simpler design and as a result are lower in price. Caskets that are intended for burial may have a more ornate design and offer more features.

Funeral Home Price Structure

Like other retail operations, funeral homes add a profit margin (or markup) to the products they sell. The percentage or amount varies by the funeral home. Some firms have a small markup and may price their services a little higher. Other firms may have a larger markup and the cost of the services they perform may be lower.

Invested in a GIC portfolio

Government protected (CDIC/DICO)

Tax free growth (limits apply)

Held in trust in funeral home’s account

Cancellation: return of principal and interest less applicable cancellation fee (see funeral home for details)

Consumer owned policy with benefit assigned to funeral home

Invested in a group annuity plan

Government protected (Assuris)

Easily transferable anywhere in Canada

Cancellation: cash surrender value (see funeral home for details)

Time pay plans 3-15 years are life insured with possible 2 year waiting period based on health

No charge accidental death benefit included for grandchild or great grandchild of insured

Included in this Service

Place wording here about service.

Itemized Services
Basic Professional Fees – $375
Documentation – $175
Transport Remains – $225
Basic Preparation of Remains – $225
Facilities for Preparation/Embalming/Shelter – $100
Funeral Coach/Transportation to Crematorium – $100
Initial Transfer Vehicle – $200

Total – $1,275