Choosing what you prefer for your own funeral or that of a loved one is a very emotional decision. While some opt for cremation without hesitation because of their personal or religious beliefs, many people are undecided and want to learn more about the process before making a choice.
There is really no good or bad choice – it really depends on your personal feelings or preference. We can’t avoid this question forever so it is best to know beforehand so that family members will know what to do when the time comes.
Whether you prefer cremation or not, you can easily get free and no-obligation quotes from our vast network so you can make the best choice.
What is cremation and how does it work?
Cremation is a method for handling the body of a deceased person that dates back a long time ago. It involves reducing the remains of a deceased person to ashes. These remains are then kept in a funeral urn which can be buried, displayed, or kept in the place designated by the deceased or his relatives. In Quebec, it has become very popular for the disposal of the body during funeral services.
Cremation and incineration of the body, what’s the difference? It’s actually the same process, but avoid using the word “incineration”. Indeed, the term “incineration” refers to burning waste and not a human body which is reduced to ashes by cremation.
What is the difference with the burial of the body? Burial consists of placing in the ground (burying) a body placed in a coffin. This process is also an integral part of the Quebec funeral tradition, but the conduct of the funeral and the cost thereof are very different from cremation since the exposure of the body and the embalming both require specific preparations.
Now that you know what cremation consists of in Quebec, do you know at what price these services are available in a funeral home near you? Don’t worry, Compare Home Quotes answers these questions precisely!
Can you still choose the funeral rites if you want cremation?
Yes, you can! The cremation of the body is only the method of disposal of the body and you retain all the freedom necessary to plan a ceremony based on your preferences. Whether you wish for a religious rite, a secular ceremony, or an outdoor funeral, cremation allows all that and more.
How do you choose cremation as the method of disposal of your body? By preparing a pre-arranged funeral contract with a funeral home in your area! This contract is used to plan the type of ceremony you wish to have, to record the method of disposal of your body (cremation), the location, and to settle all the details related to your funeral rites.
The funeral prearrangements and the burial contract are two essential contracts! It is through the prearrangement contract that you will choose cremation, but it is by signing a burial contract that you will choose the location of your urn. The burial contract (which must be separate from the pre-arrangement contract) is used to reserve your place in a columbarium, mausoleum, or cemetery.
It is easy and simple to plan a ceremony that reflects your image and to choose cremation: simply prepare a pre-arrangement contract and a burial contract with a funeral home!
How much is cremation in Quebec in 2025?
The average cost of a funeral in Quebec is approximately $6,000. For many people, this represents an impressive amount of money and it is understandable! There are many components of a funeral and some of them are quite expensive. To be able to prepare a budget for funeral expenses, keep reading and know more about the funeral services offered.
Compare Home Quotes presents the prices of cremation in Quebec in 2025 based on the different plans offered by funeral homes.
|
Cremation Service |
Price |
|
Cremation & Urn |
Starts at $400 |
|
Cremation + Urn+ Church Funeral Service |
Starts at $1,000 |
|
* Cremation *Exhibition at the funeral home |
Starts at $1,200 |
|
Personalized cremation services |
From $1,350 to $2,000 |
Funeral homes generally offer packages that can be tailored to your needs. As you can see, cremation can be a very affordable solution, but it can quickly become expensive if you combine it with other related services such as a ceremony, transportation, a high-quality urn, etc.
That’s why you should take the time to identify your needs and compare the prices of the different prearranged funerals available to you. Some packages may seem advantageous at first glance, but they must be suitable to what you want or need.
To find a funeral package that is satisfactory to you, speak to a funeral counsellor from a reputable funeral home. Funeral counsellors can help you to plan a service that meets your expectations and your budget.
What are the advantages of choosing cremation for a funeral?
More and more Quebecers are opting for cremation. There must be a reason, right? Absolutely! There are many advantages to cremation including the following:
Cheaper price: The price is more affordable than burial. Cremation is less expensive than burial since the latter requires embalming the body, preparing the body for viewing, purchasing a casket, and burying the body in a cemetery plot. This combination of expensive factors quickly adds up to the cost of a funeral, and the simplicity of cremation avoids these costs.
Eco-responsible: Cremation is more environmentally friendly than burial. The burial of a casket containing an embalmed body releases chemicals and harmful substances into the ground, causing significant pollution. Although cremation is not a perfect solution, its ecological footprint is much greener than burial.
More options for the memorial ceremony: By opting for cremation, the remains can be kept in an urn, scattered at the location indicated by the deceased, and even kept in a columbarium. In other words, there are more options than with burial of the body, which leaves only one option, burial.
Speaking of options, see where the ashes of the deceased can be kept following death!
Where will the ashes be kept?
When choosing cremation, several choices on where to keep the ashes are available to you. These choices include a columbarium, mausoleum, or cemetery plot. Here are the main characteristics of each.
A cemetery plot. Of course, the cemetery plot is the preferred place to store urns. Moreover, the burial of the urn also allows the erection of a memorial.
A columbarium. A columbarium is an indoor space where several niches are provided to display the urns. In choosing this option, you pay for a niche according to its height, the length of time the urn is displayed, and the maintenance that is done.
A mausoleum. This type of location is similar to a columbarium, but it is a building erected on a cemetery plot to accommodate the urns or coffins of members of the same family. It can also be an individual monument for a single body.
How do you reserve a space in a cemetery plot? To reserve your space in one of these three locations in advance, you will need to sign a burial contract!
Cost of a columbarium, mausoleum and cemetery plot in Quebec!
The cost of cremation does not include the place where the ashes will be kept! You will need to consider the cost of where your urn will be kept, whether it is in a columbarium, a mausoleum, or a cemetery plot.
Where to display/keep ashes | Price |
Columbarium 25 years | Between $600 and $1000 |
Columbarium 50 years | Between $800 and $1300 |
Columbarium 100 years | Between $1200 and $1600 |
Cemetery plot | Starting at $500 to $2500 |
How long will your urn be kept? It all depends on the package you choose! A cemetery plot or a niche in a columbarium usually lasts between 25 and 100 years and includes the maintenance of the chosen location for the entire duration. It is up to you to choose the length of time that suits you!
What should you know before signing a burial contract? First of all, you should know that a burial contract is a separate contract from a pre-arranged funeral contract. In addition, a burial contract cannot be canceled if it is signed outside the funeral home. Be sure of your choice before signing!
How to plan an ecological cremation in Quebec?
More and more people are developing environmental awareness and an eco-responsible funeral is included. Cremation offers many advantages and is more eco-responsible. To make the funeral rites as eco-friendly as possible, we recommend the following:
Choose a biodegradable urn. Burying an urn made of metal or treated wood emits harmful substances into the soil, causing a negative ecological footprint. Fortunately, more and more biodegradable urns are being developed that allow for the burial of ashes in a container that has no negative impact on the soil.
Opt for a “tree of life”. Many funeral homes now offer the possibility of keeping ashes in an urn that will be buried to grow a tree. The urn in question is obviously biodegradable and the tree of life approach contributes to the protection of the environment.
Aquamation or water cremation follows the same principle as cremation in that it turns the body into ashes but uses water instead of fire.
The body is placed in water mixed with alkaline hydrolysis and it is the movement of this solution that acts on the remains. At the end of the process, the ashes are also given to the family who will dispose of them according to the wishes of the deceased.
Compare Home Quotes have partner companies that specialize in funeral services. They are experienced and reliable when it comes to planning an ecological funeral that reflects your vision. You can contact them to assist you in planning a funeral based on your choices and budget.
FAQs about cremation and funerals in Quebec
Death, funerals, and cremation all raise important questions, both personally and financially.
Since not everyone has attended a large number of funerals in their life, it is not unusual to be curious or uninformed about some of the aspects.
Below you will find some frequently asked questions and answers about cremation and funerals in Quebec.
Is it possible for relatives of the deceased to attend the cremation?
Yes! Each funeral home has its own procedures but generally, loved ones can attend the cremation in order to say goodbye to the departed loved one. A private ceremony bringing together relatives may be organized at the same time.
How are the ashes of the deceased disposed of?
Several options are available to you! Obviously, when the deceased has obtained a burial contract prior to death, the mode of disposal indicated must be respected. Otherwise, family members can choose to scatter the ashes in a location usually connected to the deceased, keep in a columbarium, bury the urn in a cemetery plot, or bring the ashes home in an urn.
Will you have to buy a casket even if you opt for a cremation?
No, but you can rent a casket for display purposes during the ceremony. In addition, it is possible to display the remains of the deceased even if the latter has chosen cremation; this will occur simply after the funeral rites.
Save on funeral costs with Compare Home Quotes!
Whether it is your funeral or that of a loved one you want to plan, making it personal or customized to your needs is at the top of your list. However, this does not mean that price is of secondary importance.
The market for funeral services is so competitive that you can compare several offers to get the best price. To do this, just request free quotes with no obligation from our partners at Compare Home Quotes!
You can also follow these tips for planning funeral arrangements:
Prepare funeral arrangements (pre-arrangements). Pre-arranged funerals offer important advantages, especially when it comes to price.
They allow you to plan and pay for a funeral service several years before death. This means you will be paying for today’s prices for a service that may happen many years from now. Doing so protects you from inflation and saves you a ton of money.
Compare different cremation packages and services. The funeral service industry is not regulated by law in terms of pricing. Therefore, there can b
Choosing cremation means significant savings! As mentioned earlier, cremation in Quebec is less expensive than burial since you avoid the purchase of a casket, burial costs, and even the purchase of a lot in a cemetery.
These tips will save you money especially if you get multiple quotes from reputable funeral homes in our network.
Just fill out the online form below and receive competitive quotes for cremation
and funeral services in Quebec.
