If you have ever had the unfortunate task of arranging a cremation in Toronto, I have one thing to say and one question. I’d like to say, my condolences, and I’d like to ask if you were absolutely shocked at the how much it cost. As a funeral director, I have had many friends and family come to me and say, “Why does it have to be so expensive?” It is especially frustrating for those families who only want a simple funeral service like a direct cremation in Toronto. I have spent over a decade in the funeral industry and I can tell you from first hand experience that even the simplest of funerals are exorbitantly overpriced. How overpriced you ask? Well, if you go into a funeral home to arrange a direct, straight, simple cremation in Toronto with no other services or products above the minimum requirements, you will be billed on average $2,500 to $3,200. There is absolutely no reason for a price tag this large for a simple cremation?
Here are the steps that are involved.
• A funeral home representative will have to transfer your loved one from the place of death to the funeral home or holding facility.
• Interview the next of kin in order to draft up the appropriate paperwork and register the death with the city or township.
• Have a coroner sign a document and transfer the deceased to the crematorium in Toronto.
That is a pretty easy three thousand dollars for about three hours of work, thirty minutes of vehicle usage, and minor administrative paperwork. It’s a huge mark-up and with the internet providing us the opportunity to educate ourselves on the subject, it can’t go on for much longer.
There is however another funeral services provider that is not a funeral home but can give you the exact same basic service in Toronto. These are called transfer services. If you can find a transfer service in your area they can provide a simple cremation with excellent service and fair prices. All transfer services are fully licensed, and operated by licensed funeral directors that hold the same license as the funeral directors in your local funeral home. They will not offer elaborate funerals with open casket viewings and ceremonies, but they are specialists in facilitating simple funerals.
The bottom line is that using a funeral home for a simple cremation in Toronto is like renting a yacht to go fishing. When simplicity, fair pricing, and reliable service is a priority for your family, I encourage you to seek out a transfer service over a funeral home, you’ll be glad you did.