Marilyn Chrysler didn’t know the rules when it came to spreading her husband’s ashes.
Chrysler knew her husband wanted his ashes in the water. So without knowing the particulars, she chose a spot and fulfilled his wish.
“I actually didn't care. I was going to do it anyway. We did it quite discreetly.”
The rules aren’t that simple. It’s not illegal to scatter cremated remains, but where it’s done can complicate things.
“Cremated remains can be scattered on private property with the property owner’s permission,” says Jeffery Scott of Peaceful Transition. “People can scatter remains in the water. There is nothing illegal about that process.”
“What’s prohibited is the burial of an urn or the burial of cremated remains in a provincial park or municipal land,” says Susanne Scott.
The Scotts want more municipal leaders to dedicate public spaces for cremated remains to give people a worry free option.
“In a park that allows it without it determined to be a cemetery.”
At least one local mayor agrees. Oro-Medonte has seen the need for more cemetery space firsthand.
“We had requests and actually expanded the boundaries of two cemeteries. We know that cremation is becoming more prevalent so I can understand they are looking for different options,” says Oro-Medonte Mayor Harry Hughes.
The owners of Peaceful Transition say they're not waiting for any changes in law and or attitude about the scattering of remains.
They’re buying a piece of land in Barrie where families can scatter the remains of loved ones, legally.
