Amendments to Funeral Regulations in BC

In British Columbia "-an individual may perform the functions

of a funeral provider and funeral director in a remote service area-"

• If you live in rural BC away from major centers, do you know what your options are when someone you love dies?
• Did you know that in British Columbia it is legal for families to bring or keep their loved one home until time of disposition?
• If your person dies at home and it’s an expected death, do you know you can just take your time with them? You can keep them at home for a few hours or even a few days if you want to have a home funeral.
• You can transport them from a hospital to your home if you so desire.
• Do you know that YOU can legally transport your deceased loved one from your home to a funeral home if said funeral service provider accepts direct transfers? 
• Are you aware of what your local funeral home charges for transport? (Ask for a current price list of services.) 
• If you live more than 200km from the nearest funeral home, on rough roads, it is legal for someone other than a funeral director to act as a funeral director. (See Exemption from Act below)
• All these things require planning and paper work. It’s never as simple as it sounds and there are caveats with each of these things.  But it’s all possible and legal.

• You only get one crack at this. If what happens to your loved one’s body once they die matters to you and to them - now is the time to ask questions and plan!

Exemption from Act — remote service area

36.1   (1)

In this section:

"designated area" means the area within the perimeter boundary of a regional district and, for greater certainty, includes municipalities within that perimeter boundary;

"electoral area" means an electoral area in a regional district as specified by the letters patent for the regional district;

"remote service area" means a municipality or an electoral area that

(a)

is not accessible in all seasons by a highway that goes from the municipality or electoral area to the business location of the licensed funeral director in closest proximity to the municipality or electoral area, and

(b)

is at least 200 km by highway or ferry from the business location of the licensed funeral director in closest proximity to the municipality or electoral area.

(2)

On the approval of the director, an individual may perform the functions of a funeral provider and funeral director in a remote service area as indicated in a resolution referred to in subsection (3) (a) (i) or (ii).

(3)

An individual seeking the director's approval under subsection (2) to perform the functions of a funeral provider and funeral director in a remote service area must

(a)

submit to the director,

(i)

if the remote service area is a municipality, a resolution of the council of the municipality in support of the individual performing the functions of a funeral provider and funeral director in the municipality, or

(ii)

if the remote service area is an electoral area in a regional district, a resolution of the board of the regional district in support of the individual performing the functions of a funeral provider and funeral director in the electoral area, and

(b)

authorize a criminal record check or a criminal record check verification, as applicable, under the Criminal Records Review Act.

(4)

If approval is given by the director under subsection (2) the individual is exempt from the obligation to be licensed as a funeral provider and as a funeral director under section 55 (1) of the Act in the remote service area for a period of up to 3 years, as determined by the director, which period begins on the date of the director's approval.

(5)

No more than 2 individuals may be exempt from the obligation to be licensed as a funeral provider and as a funeral director under section 55 (1) of the Act within a designated area.

[en. B.C. Reg. 121/2019, s. 3.]