Under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002
Consultation timeline: June 25, 2021 – August 9, 2021 (45 days)
Ministry: Government and Consumer Services
Further details and to comment: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?language=en&postingId=37807

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services’ (MGCS) has released a consultation paper which seeks feedback to inform potential proposals for changes to the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA) and/or its regulations to address recommendations made by the Auditor General as well as concerns raised by bereavement sector stakeholders.

The consultation paper seeks feedback on the following bereavement sector topics:

• Consumer protection measures, including:
  • Transparency of price information
  • Displaying the Bereavement Authority of Ontario logo on bereavement service operator websites
  • Disclosure requirements for promotional materials
  • Taking steps to prevent upselling and/or aggressive sales practices
  • Not allowing the licensing of new disposition technology providers until safety of the technology can be confirmed
• Compliance and enforcement tools
• Priority of persons with legal authority to make decisions regarding decedents
• Cemetery care and maintenance funds/accounts, including:
  • Interest payment requirements on funds borrowed from the capital portion of cemetery care and maintenance funds/accounts
  • Potential to exempt municipal cemetery operators from care and maintenance fund/account requirements
• Other cemetery-related proposals, including:
  • Requiring municipalities to operate certain cemeteries that appear neglected or abandoned
  • Additional cemetery closure order application requirements.

Comments are due to the Ministry by August 9, 2021.

Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002
O. Reg 30/11 (General Regulation)
O. Reg 184/12 (Care and Maintenance Exemptions and Miscellaneous Charges)
O. Reg 216/18 (Code of Ethics)
O. Reg 374/18 (Discipline and Appeal Committees)
Bereavement Consultation Paper