Get in Touch

365 Days of Grief Support

Sign up for one year of grief messages designed to offer hope and healing during the difficult first year after a loss

A Year of Grief Support

Sign up for one year of weekly grief messages designed to provide strength and comfort during this challenging time.

Please wait

Verifying your email address

Please wait

Unsubscribing your email address

You have been unsubscribed

You will no longer receive messages from our email mailing list.

You have been subscribed

Your email address has successfully been added to our mailing list.

Something went wrong

There was an error verifying your email address. Please try again later, or re-subscribe.

View our recent obituaries
logo-image

Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home

Tania Tack • June 12, 2020

Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home

Repatriation Gravely Impacted by the Pandemic

In addition to services and arrangements,  repatriation has been gravely affected by the pandemic. Over the course of any given year, many funeral homes assist families in making arrangements to have the remains of their loved ones return to their home country for burial. Over the last few months it has not been easily feasible for this type of service to occur.

Transportation of Deceased Under Strict Regulation 

Airline and federal authorities have strict regulations in place to ensure that the transportation of deceased persons can only be conducted by recognized providers. Coordinating these arrangements observe very rigid guidelines and are extremely time-consuming. A lot of people put a lot of work into making these arrangements happen.

Accessibility to Flights Biggest Obstacle to Repatriation

The most prominent obstacle right now in regards to organizing a repatriation is the access to flights. Airlines are cancelling flights daily. When there is a flight available, it tends to be a smaller plane that is not able to accommodate casket-sized cargo in addition to passenger luggage. Families can certainly ask for a status update to a desired airport and receiving funeral home anywhere in the world, and we will do our best to coordinate details with a trusted, accessible airline.

Cremation is a Viable Alternative

The current lack of available flights is not the only obstacle. During this state of emergency, the government has mandated that we are not to delay interments, removing repatriation of a deceased person as a viable option. Cremation with repatriation is an alternative option and does lend itself more flexibility in regards to timing and shipping options.

Burials Are Reversible

If cremation is not an option for families due to personal beliefs, we can always arrange to have their departed buried here in Ontario within the mandated timeframes. Although this may not be the ideal solution, burial is reversible. Once repatriation is feasible again, the family can arrange for a disinterment and we could help pursue the repatriation of a deceased person when flights become available once again.

We invite you to contact our team of experts for more information about repatriation and other funeral-related services by calling 1-877-229-7077.

Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers?

October 7, 2022
Funeral Directors routinely ask families during the arrangement process about pacemakers. Standard safety precautions are in place because of the explosive potential of pacemakers when heated. Pacemakers explode during the cremation process because of the rapid formation of gas which bursts the pacemaker’s casing. An explosion during the cremation process could cause serious damage to the crematorium chamber, as […] The post Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers? appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries

By Tania Tack • April 29, 2022
When a death occurs in the winter months, it is quite common that the burial can’t take place until the spring. Our region has long, cold winters and this hinders a cemetery’s ability to conduct burials due to the frozen ground. It is not unusal for many families in our smaller communities thoughout Ontario to […] The post The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Death and Taxes

By Tania Tack • March 24, 2022
Tax rules are often complicated and never fun. In the case of pre-arrangements that is no different. When you pre-arrange your funeral there are some things to consider from a tax perspective that we hope to cover here. We will do our best, but unfortunately, we are not accountants and can’t give you personal advice […] The post Death and Taxes appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Grave Woman

By Tania Tack • December 10, 2020
The funeral industry is changing. Catapulting that change are women like The Grave Woman, Joél Simone Anthony. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but is making waves all over the United States with her alternative approach to funeral service. We had the pleasure of speaking with her and learning more about her work. Joél Simone Anthony […] The post The Grave Woman appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements

By Tania Tack • November 24, 2020
Living without a will may relieve a person from having to think about their own mortality. Living without a will may also save a person some time and money. However, dying without a will can cause grave challenges and obstacles for those left behind. Dying in intestate means that the deceased person did not leave a Will. […] The post Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You

By Tania Tack • November 10, 2020
Being appointed an Executor is often seen as an honour, but it can also be an extremely daunting task. The person selected to look after estate matters is often also likely to be the person grieving the most. In an effort to alleviate the stress associated with being an Executor or Administrator, we have compiled […] The post Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home

By Tania Tack • August 31, 2020
Basic Funerals has been listed as one of the Top 3 Best-Rated Funeral Homes. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve such welcoming communities. We would not be considered ‘best-rated’ without you! Recognition for Excellence Our team was recognized for providing consistent high quality services in our area of business. We were reviewed by […] The post Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve

By Tania Tack • July 9, 2020
By guest blogger, Carrie Fawcett: Celebrant Ceremonies like funerals and memorials are intended to both honour the life of a loved one and meet the needs of those left behind. If current public health limits have you question if it is still possible to have a “good” funeral, I encourage you to see those limits […] The post 6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com

By Tania Tack • May 25, 2020
Basic Funerals and Headspace Promotion Basic Funerals has always worked hard to go beyond the funeral. We care about the families we serve. We understand that these difficult times make it even harder to grieve the death of a loved one. For this reason, we have coordinated an offer with Headspace.com to provide our families […] The post The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Commemorating Our Loved Ones When We Are Apart

By Tania Tack • April 11, 2020
During this time of isolation, everything has been impacted: from the approach to groceries, children’s schooling, and travel. Governments are introducing new programs while communities are learning to adjust. At times like this, we hope that people are expressing gratitude to those that assist us with our health care, our food, and all other essential […] The post Commemorating Our Loved Ones When We Are Apart appeared first on Basic Funerals.
More Posts
Share by: