FAQ's
What is a funeral co-operative?
How much does it cost to become a member?
When will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa open its doors?
What services will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa provide?
What will funeral arrangements cost?
How will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa be managed?
In what languages will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa operate?
What is a funeral co-operative?
A funeral co-operative is a community initiative to provide its members with compassionate, high quality funeral arrangements on a non-profit basis, owned and managed on the co-operative principle of one member, one vote.
Funeral co-operatives are not a new idea. One of the oldest funeral co-ops in Canada was founded in Sudbury, Ontario in 1952. Funeral co-operatives are very well established in Quebec and Prince Edward Island. La coopérative funéraire de l'Outaouais (CFO) was established in 1979 with 1,000 members. Today the co-operative has 12,500 members and handles more than 70% of all funerals in the Outaouais region. It will take some time for our funeral co-operative to grow but we are inspired by the Outaouais success.
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How much does it cost to become a member?
Each person 18 years of age or older pays a one-time, non-refundable membership fee of $20. This fee will confirm your interest in the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa.
When will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa open its doors?
The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa is in the start-up phase and does NOT
provide funeral services to members at this time. Our plan is to open a
facility for providing funerals in the second half of 2012. Currently, our volunteers
are busy enrolling members to show that the citizens of Ottawa want to
make this option a reality. We need your membership. Please let us know
if you would like to help enroll members: click here
What services will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa provide?
The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa will provide a complete range of funeral services to members.
We make a commitment to you that we will not sell you any funeral arrangements that you do not need or want.
Our licensed funeral director will meet with the family to discuss options and to help make decisions about arrangements soon after the death occurs.
If you wish, arrangements for your funeral can also be made in advance, or pre-arrangements can be transferred from other funeral homes to the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa (a fee may apply).
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What will funeral arrangements cost?
All funeral arrangements will be priced on a not-for-profit basis, and will generally be on the low end of what is now available. The Funeral Co-operative will charge less for members than for non-members who wish to use the Funeral Co-operative’s services.
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How will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa be managed?
The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa will be managed by a licensed funeral director and a board of directors elected by you, the members. The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa is an incorporated co-operative business operated by fully-qualified professional staff and subject to the laws and regulations of the Province of Ontario that govern funeral services.
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In what languages will the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa operate?
The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa will function in English and French, with services made available in other languages.
We will provide funeral arrangements for people of all ethnic backgrounds, religious and spiritual beliefs. We will also arrange non-denominational memorial services.