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.”
Funerals are one thing. That is basically a party and I think people can choose to do what they want. But I think that basic body disposal should be provided (and separated from any funeral provider as much as desired).
This is a good point. The service can be anything from something small to something big. But burial shouldn’t cost so damn much.