Funeral Transfer Services in Canada — The Behind-the-Scenes Job
For Canadian families dealing with a death, transfer services move the deceased between locations. This often-invisible logistics happens behind the scenes; understanding the process helps when decisions are needed.
Types of transfer needed
Initial transfer: From place of death to funeral home or initial holding facility.
Inter-funeral-home transfer: If family chooses different provider than initial.
Inter-provincial transfer: Body transport between Canadian provinces.
International transfer: Repatriation of remains from another country, or sending remains to another country.
To cemetery or crematorium: Final transport for burial or cremation.
Initial transfer
From hospital or care facility:
- Funeral home arranged within hours of family contact
- Funeral home staff (or contracted transfer service) collects from facility morgue
- Standard process; facilities have protocols
- Specific paperwork (death certificate trigger, transfer documents)
From home (expected death):
- Family contacts funeral home
- Funeral home arrives with appropriate transport vehicle
- Specific protocols for home removal
- Specific transport documentation
From home (unexpected death):
- Police and/or coroner involvement first
- Body release after investigation
- Funeral home then arranges transfer
- Specific to circumstances
Cost: Local transfer typically included in funeral home services package or $200-600 if separate.
Choosing a different funeral home
Common scenario:
- Initial transfer made by funeral home dispatched by hospital
- Family decides on different provider for actual funeral
- Transfer between funeral homes arranged
Process:
- New funeral home arranges transfer
- Original holding facility releases body
- Specific paperwork
- Cost typically $300-800
No issue with this:
- Common occurrence
- Not personal to original funeral home
- Standard industry process
Inter-provincial transfer
When needed:
- Death occurred while traveling
- Family preferred home province burial
- Specific to circumstances
Process:
- Local funeral home handles initial care
- Transport to home funeral home arranged
- Specific provincial transport regulations apply
- Embalming often required for transport (specific province rules)
Documentation:
- Death certificate from province of death
- Transit permit (specific requirements)
- Specific embalming or container documentation
Cost: $1,500-5,000+ depending on distance and complexity.
Examples:
- Death in BC, family wants Toronto burial — substantial transport cost
- Death in Toronto, family wants Halifax burial — substantial transport cost
- Death in same province different city — moderate cost
International transfer
Repatriation of remains:
- Death of Canadian abroad
- Family wants Canadian burial
- Complex process
Process:
- Foreign funeral provider handles initial
- Specific documentation required from country of death:
- Death certificate
- Permit to leave country (export permit)
- Embalming certificate
- Specific consular documentation
- Canadian funeral home receives and continues
- Canadian funeral home arranges remaining logistics
Documentation:
- Country-specific requirements
- Canadian customs documentation
- Specific health and safety documentation
- Sometimes hermetically sealed container required
Cost: $4,000-15,000+ depending on country and complexity. Distant countries with complex regulations cost more.
Common scenarios:
- Death of Canadian in US: $4,000-8,000 typical
- Death in Mexico: $5,000-10,000 typical
- Death in Europe: $8,000-15,000 typical
- Death in remote location: significantly more
Travel insurance: Many travel insurance policies cover repatriation costs; check policy.
Sending remains from Canada
When needed:
- Death of foreign national in Canada
- Family wants international burial
Process:
- Canadian funeral home handles initial
- Specific documentation:
- Canadian death certificate
- Export permit
- Embalming certificate
- Destination country requirements
- International freight forwarder
- Receiving funeral home
Cost: Similar to inbound — $4,000-15,000+ depending on destination.
Who can do transfers
Provincial regulation:
Ontario (BAO regulated):
- Licenced funeral establishments
- Specific transport vehicle requirements
- Specific documentation requirements
BC (Consumer Protection BC regulated):
- Licenced funeral providers
- Specific Cremation Interment and Funeral Services Act requirements
Alberta (AFSRB regulated):
- Licenced funeral providers
- Specific Funeral Services Act requirements
Other provinces: Similar provincial regulation with specific requirements.
Specific transport providers:
- Funeral homes typically provide transfer services
- Some specialized transfer services exist
- International transport often through specialized international funeral services
Vehicle requirements
Body transport vehicles:
- Specific design (hearse, transfer van)
- Sealed compartment
- Refrigeration (sometimes)
- Specific signage and identification (varies by province)
- Specific safety equipment
Long-distance transport:
- Specific vehicle requirements
- Refrigeration often required
- Embalming often required
Air transport:
- Hermetically sealed container often required
- Specific airline cargo procedures
- Specific documentation
Embalming for transport
Often required:
- Inter-provincial transport (specific provincial rules)
- International transport (specific country rules)
- Long-distance transport
- Specific airline requirements for air transport
Why:
- Preservation during transport time
- Health and safety
- Specific regulatory requirements
Cost: $700-1,500 for embalming (separate from base funeral home cost).
What we focus on at It's Simple Will
The Funeral Pre-Planner captures specific preferences including burial location preference — relevant if you're located far from where you'd want to be buried.
Related guides
Citations & sources
- [1]Funeral Service Association of Canada — Funeral Service Association of Canada
- [2]Bereavement Authority of Ontario — Bereavement Authority of Ontario
Frequently asked questions
Who handles the transfer from hospital/care facility to funeral home?
Funeral home arranges this. Typically funeral home staff (or contracted transfer service) collects deceased from hospital morgue or care facility. Within hours of family contacting funeral home. Funeral home then handles further care.
What if I want to use a different funeral home than the one that came initially?
Possible. Hospital and care facility transfers are typically temporary holding; family chooses funeral home and arranges transfer between providers. Specific costs apply. Funeral home transfers happen daily; standard process.
What if death occurred far from home?
Body transport to home location possible. Local funeral home handles initial; transport to home funeral home arranged. Cost increases with distance — $1,500-5,000 typical for provincial transport; more for cross-country. Specific provincial transport regulations apply.
What if death occurred outside Canada?
International repatriation possible but complex. Specific documentation required — Death Certificate from country of death; transit permits; embalming certificate (most countries require); specific funeral provider both ends. Cost typically $4,000-15,000+ depending on country. Specialized international funeral transport services exist.
Who can transport human remains?
Licenced funeral providers in most provinces. Some specific medical transport services. Specific provincial requirements — vehicle requirements, container requirements, documentation. Specific to province; check provincial regulator (BAO Ontario, Consumer Protection BC, AFSRB Alberta).
What's the difference between transfer and transport?
Often used interchangeably in industry. Transfer typically implies shorter distance (local, same area); transport implies longer distance (provincial, international). Both involve moving deceased remains with appropriate dignity and documentation.