Cremation in Toronto: What to Expect

Cremation planning can be challenging, especially for grieving families who have just lost a loved one. However, knowing what to expect can make the process less daunting. In this article, we explain how to arrange a cremation in Toronto.

Arranging cremation in Toronto

At Eirene, we aim to make cremation arrangements as easy as possible. One of the ways we do this is by using our online platform, which allows client families to forgo in-person visits and make arrangements entirely online. Our website is also full of helpful end-of-life resources and guidance.

Before making arrangements, we invite you to visit the website to learn more about Eirene, our staff, and the services we offer. Check out our blog and help centre for informative and educational articles, tips, and advice. Visitors can also browse the online urn catalog to purchase a cremation urn as needed. A wide selection of urns in a range of prices is available. Urns are also shipped to Toronto and area addresses (and any address in Canada) for free.

Arrangement packages are easily accessible under the company's website's "services" or "pricing" menu. In Toronto, Eirene offers both cremation and aquamation services (also known by the scientific name "alkaline hydrolysis").

Eirene also has prepaid arrangement services. All packages are itemized and easily accessible to clients.

To begin arranging a cremation, click "Start Arranging" in the top right corner of the webpage to begin the online booking process. A menu that lists Eirene's service options opens, and you can pick the option that best suits your needs. You can fill out the online forms yourself or with our help. If you need assistance, contact our team at 647-955-4375 or contact us via email at support@eirene.ca. Arrangements can be made entirely on the phone or via email if preferred. We can also arrange a video conferencing call if desired.

A licensed funeral director on our team will take client information over the phone and walk them through the steps to complete arrangements. In-person meetings at Eirene's office in downtown Hamilton are available upon request and by appointment only.

Once arrangements have been made, our staff corresponds with our crematorium partner in Burlington to coordinate final services.

Transferring your loved one in Toronto

Once our team receives confirmation from a family that they would like us to care for their loved one's remains, our staff will facilitate transportation of the deceased person's body from the place of death to our crematorium partner in Burlington. If a family wants to make an identification or witness the cremation, we will arrange it at our partner's location on request.

In Ontario, it is also legal to transport a deceased person's body in a private vehicle. Families can contact Eirene's team to discuss these arrangements if desired.

Documentation and logistics in Toronto

Eirene handles all the necessary cremation planning and responsibilities, such as collecting information from the family, completing and submitting funeral documentation, obtaining death certificates, etc.

Once the paperwork is completed and payment is made, our team will correspond with our partner in Burlington. Eirene offers a cremation package for those that want to attend the cremation of their loved one at the partner location. Visitation services cannot be held on the premises. Still, families can identify their loved one before cremation and observe the cremation container as it is placed into the retort (cremation chamber). They can also push the button to initiate the cremation process. (More information on the "Witnessing" package here).

If a person dies outside of the Greater Toronto Area, the cremation may be arranged in Burlington or be referred to one of Eirene's Ontario partners in North Bay, Peterborough, Ottawa, and Hamilton. This choice depends on location and logistics and is decided on a case-by-case basis in consultation with our client families.

Cremation process

After paperwork and payments are handled, the deceased person's body is prepared for cremation. Medical implants (e.g., pacemakers) that contain a battery or pose a safety risk to crematorium staff are removed. Other materials, like metal fillings are not removed. Clothes remain on the body. Jewelry is removed and returned to the family.

Bodies are cremated in a chamber by exposing them to flames and extreme heat (760 to 980 C / 1400 to 1800 F). As a result, organic matter is reduced, leaving behind bone fragments and non-combustible materials (e.g., surgical or dental metals).

After a cooling period, the remaining metals are removed and recycled. Bone fragments are reduced to a coarse grey or brown powder known as cremated remains or ashes. Cremated remains are placed in an urn or simple container, as directed by the family, and returned as below.

Returning your loved ones' ashes

After cremation, our staff picks up the urn or container from our crematorium partner location. We then make an appointment with families to ensure an in-person delivery of their loved one's ashes. Cremated remains will never be left on someone's doorstep or in a mailbox. This is the standard in all locations we serve.

Documents needed to handle estate matters (e.g., death certificates) are provided to the deceased person's family during the in-person delivery of the urn. However, documents can also be sent by mail using the Express Post service if needed faster. Our staff will also provide a link to create an account with Eirene's partner, Cadence, a company that assists families with after-death matters that the executor or authorized decision maker (next of kin) needs to complete.

Cremation cost in Toronto

Cremation costs in Toronto are on par with other larger cities in Canada. You can see a detailed discussion of cremation pricing for Toronto and other Ontario cities and towns in this article called Cremation Cost in Ontario. To see the cost of cremation packages from Eirene, click here.

Funeral payment plans available to Toronto area families

At Eirene, we believe everyone deserves access to affordable and quality death care. That is why we have partnered with Affirm, a service that offers financial assistance to clients with no hidden fees or late fees.

Families can apply to set up an installment payment plan that works best for their financial situation. Eirene will also offer payment alternatives to families that are ineligible for an Affirm plan.

Learn more about additional funeral financial assistance in the articles below. Families can also contact Eirene by phone (647-955-4375) or email (support@eirene.ca) for information.

• Ontario Funeral Financial Assistance Programs
• How Ontario Works Funeral Assistance Works
• How the Canada Pension Plan Death Benefit Can Help Fund a Funeral
• What Government Funeral Assistance is Available if You Can't Afford End-of-Life Expenses in Canada
• What if You Can't Afford to Die? Tips for Funding Funeral Costs
• Cremation Services in Ontario
• Cremation Services in Toronto

What makes Eirene's cremation arrangements in Toronto unique

Filtering through the endless options available can make end-of-life planning difficult. At Eirene, we aim to make cremation planning straightforward while providing continuous support and guidance to grieving families.

Our online platform allows our client families to have as much or little to do with their loved one's final arrangement. Families enter the required information, pay a flat rate, and have Eirene handle the rest of the details. There are no surprises or hidden fees. In addition, our all-inclusive cremation and aquamation packages are itemized and easily accessible to clients.

Questions about cremation in Toronto?

For questions about cremation in Toronto and all the communities we serve in Ontario, reach out to our expert team via email at support@eirene.ca or call us at 647-955-4375. You can also see all the locations that we serve across Canada here.