Why dead bodies are going unclaimed in Canada
Some Canadian provinces have seen a rise in unclaimed dead bodies in recent years. Families often cite high funeral costs as the reason they cannot collect their loved ones' remains.
This issue has led at least one province to build a new storage facility, and there has been a surge in demand for memorial fundraisers. The cost of a funeral in Canada has increased to about $8,800 from $6,000 in 1998, according to industry estimates.
In Ontario, the most populous province, the number of unclaimed dead bodies rose to 1,183 in 2023 from 242 in 2013, according to Dirk Huyer, the province's chief coroner. In most cases, next of kin are identified but unable to claim the body, often due to financial reasons. Finances accounted for 24% of unclaimed bodies in 2023, up from 20% in 2022.
"It's distressing because it's a person who has passed and there's nobody - family, friends, or others - that are in a position to provide instructions or plans for that person after their death," Huyer said.
In Ontario, a body is considered unclaimed after 24 hours, but the coroner's office may spend weeks trying to locate next of kin. If relatives confirm they cannot claim the body, the local municipality arranges a simple burial with a funeral home. Meanwhile, the body is kept in a morgue or temperature-controlled storage facility.
"There have always been families in need of assistance, but I've never seen this many unclaimed remains," said Allan Cole, owner of Toronto-based funeral home MacKinnon and Bowes.
In Quebec, the number of unclaimed bodies grew to 183 in 2023 from 66 in 2013. In Alberta, the number rose to 200 in 2023 from 80 in 2016.
Historically, the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador did not need long-term storage for unclaimed remains. However, after an uproar over unclaimed bodies kept in freezers outside the hospital, the province is constructing a permanent storage unit.
"People weren't claiming bodies because 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 and removing the barriers so people can have a dignified burial."
Funeral costs vary greatly depending on location. An adult single grave with the Mount Pleasant Group costs about $2,800 on average, but in midtown Toronto, it was $34,000 as of April 1. This price does not include the opening and closing of the grave, funeral, tombstone, taxes, and other items.
A funeral can cost C$2,000 to C$12,000, up from about C$1,800 to C$8,000 in 1998, according to Jeff Weafer, President of the Funeral Services Association of Canada. The number of memorial fundraisers on GoFundMe increased to 10,257 in 2023 from 36 in 2013.
Government support for funerals has not kept pace with rising costs. The federal government announced a C$2,500 top-up to the C$2,500 death benefit in the Canada Pension Plan in the April budget.
"Losing your life partner or spouse is devastating for a senior. It can also be an immense financial burden after a lifetime of hard work," said Katherine Cuplinskas, press secretary for Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. "That is why we are strengthening the Canada Pension Plan to provide a top-up to the death benefit."
Weafer said this is not enough. "This is not a respectful end for Canadians," he said. "The reason deceased individuals are going unclaimed by their families is about affordability."
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