Some Canadian provinces have logged a jump in unclaimed dead bodies in recent years, with next of kin citing funeral costs as a growing reason for not collecting loved ones’ remains.
The phenomenon has prompted at least one province to build a new storage facility. Demand for memorial fundraisers has surged. The overall cost of a funeral in Canada at the top end has increased to about $8,800 from about $6,000 in 1998, according to industry trade group estimates.
Now, in the wake of an uproar over unclaimed bodies kept in freezers outside the (Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador), the province is constructing a permanent storage unit to hold remains.
“People weren’t claiming bodies because they realized they couldn’t afford to bury them,” said Jim Dinn, leader of the province’s opposition New Democratic Party. “It’s not about building a bigger storage unit: It’s about addressing the underlying cause causing the accumulation of bodies and removing the barriers so people can have a dignified burial.”
Former funeral director. How to leave a body unclaimed was an unfortunately common discussion I’ve had with people. It starts with “What is the cheapest option?” Followed by “What if I can’t afford that?”
It makes no sense that the government won’t assist a family with burial expenses but will pay to bury an unclaimed body. The Canada Pension Plan death benefit is only $2,500. It’s taxable and the amount has not increased in over a decade. The cheapest funeral options now cost about $3,000 - $4,000. People shouldn’t need to worry about their financial situation immediately after their loved one dies.
Pretty crazy that cremation isn’t a public service
What are we paying tax for if it isn’t to burn our bodies then throw us in a landfill
When my father died, the Uber driver taking me from my hotel to my family was a woman in the same boat. She told me she was breaking her neck to earn enough in the next couple of days to claim her father’s remains from a funeral home. We chatted about our situations. I asked if she’d be offended if I gave her a donation to help. She was so fucking grateful. We could afford the expenses, so it was a real reminder of how barbaric the system is when you’re living on the edge monetarily. She didn’t even have time to grieve because she had to hustle / grind.
Well, “death tax” at least ( unless I understand what you mean ) is just a portion of the deceased estate. So, they can at least afford it.
I would actually be ok if a basic level of funeral expenses were covered by the state. Like health care, the idea that we, as a society, can take care of everybody to a minimum level appeals to me.
It does not have to be extravagant but people should not be afraid to collect loved ones because of the financial burden.
This kind of thing won’t stop until rich people start having to deal with unplanned burials.
Make of that what you will.
I’m not a finance expert but I feel like in the long run it’d be cheaper to raise the death benefit or subsidize cremation services than to build dead body storage facilities all over the country.
Yeah seriously, everybody dies (for now at least) let’s just provide basic disposal for bodies as a government service. If you want to have a funeral or other celebration you are welcome too and if you want a “fancier” disposal (like burying in a cemetery) you can pay for that. But it seems like basic disposal should be provided.
This is what I don’t understand about the business. It’s a guaranteed income. There will always be dead people. Why tf do they have to charge so damn much?? They will still be pretty rich and have a guaranteed income I think. It’s extortion imho.
I have a strong suspicion that this won’t be a guaranteed income in the near future. There’s already human testing for life extension treatments, so it won’t be a surprise that in twenty years, we’ll see a serious decline of profits both for funeral homes and in elderly care facilities making them both rarities.
That said, I do think that cremation or something similar should be a subsidized if not a free government service. Being charged an arm for dealing with a tragedy is just plain exploitation and there should be alternatives for those who aren’t in the best positions. There’s already so much paperwork and other things people have to deal with, it’s a wonder that this hasn’t been a major public issue for decades now.
