Taking Ashes to Canada

Ask The Funeral Planning Expert:
My mother wants to be cremated here in CO but have her ashes interned with her husband in Canada – how do we arrange that? Kim

Funeral Planning Expert Reply:

Kim,

 The Colorado funeral home, in charge of the cremation, should be able to help you arrange the transportation. They most likely will charge for the service.
If you plan on taking the cremains to Canada, you will need to follow the Canadian laws concerning the importation of body parts into Canada. These laws are governed by the Canada Border Services Agency.
In their 2009 MEMORANDUM D19-9-3, it states:

Importation of Cremated Human Remains Into Canada
9. Cremated human remains, because they do not pose a
quarantine risk, do not require a death certificate. However,
it is recommended that when transporting the cremated
remains that the importer should carry a copy of the death
and cremation certificate and ensure that the remains are in
a container that can easily be scanned (e.g., cardboard,
wood or plastic).

Depending on how you plan to transport the cremains, you will need to follow the transportation laws of both countires. The Cremation Association of North America has an article detailing the transportation of cremains. You can find the information at http://www.cremationassociation.org/?page=Transport.  One of their suggestions for transportation across international borders is to contact the Embassy for the country where you are taking the cremains to. The Embassy will be able to give you all the rules and regulations.
There is a Canadian embassy in Denver Co.. Here is their contact information:

Telephone: (303) 626-0640
Fax: (303) 572-1158

E-Mail: denvr-cs@international.gc.ca

Mailing Address:
Canadian Consulate General
1625 Broadway, Suite 2600
Denver, CO 80202

Hours of Operation:
The Consulate General of Canada in Denver is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.

Thank you for using FSN Funeral Homes. I hope this information is helpful.

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