HomeMy WebLinkAboutOPD-006-19Clarington Operations Department
Report
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Report To: General Government Committee
Date of Meeting: June 17, 2019
Report Number: OPD -006-19
File Number:
Report Subject: Cemetery Fees
Recommendations:
Resolution: GG -403-19
By-law Number:
1. That Report OPD -006-19 be received;
2. That the proposed new or revised surcharges for Saturday, Sunday and Statutory
Holiday Interments be approved;
3. That all other proposed cemetery fees for 2019, as outlined on Attachment 1 of Report
OPD -006-19, be approved;
4. That all cemetery fees for subsequent years be adjusted using the annual, November
over November, Ontario All -Items Consumer Price Index (CPI) to take effect each year
on January 1St; and
5. That Attachment 1 to Report OPD -006-19, amending by-law to By-law 2012-061, being
a by-law to provide for the maintenance, management, regulation and control of the
cemeteries in the Municipality of Clarington, be approved.
Municipality of Clarington
Report OPD -006-19
Report Overview
Page 2
This report recommends that Council approve new or revised surcharges for the provision of
Saturday, Sunday and Statutory Holiday interments. The report also recommends a 5%
increase in 2019 for various other cemetery service fees that are outlined on Attachment 1
and the utilization of the Ontario All -Items Consumers Price Index (CPI) for the annual
adjustment of cemetery service fees in the future. Upon adjustment in each year all
applicable service fees will be rounded upwards to the next 5 dollar increment.
1. Background
1.1 Clarington's Operations Department currently manages four active cemeteries being
Bowmanville Cemetery, Bondhead Cemetery, St. Georges Cemetery and Hampton
Union Cemetery.
1.2 The Funeral, Burial and Cremations Services Act 2002, S.O. 2002, c.33, Part 6, Section
53 (1) states that every cemetery operator who sells, assigns or transfers interment
rights or scattering rights or who permits the interment of human remains or the
scattering of cremated human remains in the cemetery shall have a care and
maintenance fund. This fund is used solely for the perpetual upkeep the cemetery. It
should be noted that 40% of the fees collected from the sale of plots and 15% from
cremation niches are placed into this fund.
1.3 In addition to the sale of plots/niches, the Municipality also charges for various other
cemetery related services that include interments, dis-interments, installation of
foundations, headstones/footstones, weekend and holiday surcharges and other
administrative related costs. The proposed cemetery fees for 2019 are provided on
Attachment 1 and for comparison reasons the cemetery rates currently in effect are
supplied as Attachment 2.
Municipality of Clarington Page 3
Report OPD -006-19
1.4 For context, the following chart indicates the number of interments that the Operations
Department has provided during the past three years in each respective cemetery:
Regular Burials Cremations
Bowmanville Cemetery
2016
66
79
2017
50
105
2018
61
93
Total
177
277
Bondhead Cemetery
2016
7
6
2017
7
10
2018
7
9
Total
14
25
St. Georges Cemetery
2016
1
4
2017
2
4
2018
0
2
Total
3
10
Hampton Union Cemetery
2016
5
9
2017
4
3
2018
5
4
Total
14
16
2. Discussion
2.1 The recommended cemetery fee increase for 2019 is 5%. This amount has been
compared with the rates of public cemeteries in neighbouring municipalities to which
they remain fairly consistent. For all future years, it is recommended that the annual
cemetery fee increases be based on the, November over November, Ontario All -Items
Consumers Price Index (CPI). It is expected that on average the CPI will increase
approximately 1.0 to 2.0 percent per year. This rate of increase is typical of the annual
adjustments in municipal labour costs that represent the majority of the cemetery
operating expenditures. Upon adjustment, all future revised rates will be rounded
upwards to the next 5 dollar increment. Cemetery services that are of lower cost, under
Municipality of Clarington
Resort OPD -006-19
Page 4
$100, will not be significantly impacted by the 5 dollar rounding adjustment as these
rates are either set by the Province of Ontario or will generally remain unchanged.
2.2 As a means to offer reasonable interment rates the Operations Department assigns an
employee to perform regular shifts at the cemeteries duties during the months of May to
November. This employee is capable of managing normal weekday and Saturday
activities with the exception of late afternoon services, multiple interments or when in -
ground casket burials are required. These types of services require extended hours
and or the assistance of an additional staff person who may need to be called -in on
overtime. The surcharge fees that are recommended for Saturday interments are
provided on Attachment 1. These rates represent the recovery of overtime costs for the
additional employee.
2.3 Cemetery staff are currently not scheduled to work shifts on Sundays or statutory
holidays. As a result, interments scheduled on these dates are subject to higher
surcharge fees as one or two staff persons are required to be called -in on overtime
depending on the type of interment. The surcharge fees recommended on Attachment 1
for Sundays and Statutory Holiday interments represent the recovery of all overtime
costs for the employee(s) as deemed necessary.
2.4 On Monday, June 10, 2019, Council approved the municipal assumption of the Orono
Cemetery formally operated by the Orono Cemetery Board. Following this direction an
application was submitted to the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, BAO, seeking
official approval for the transfer. Staff will report back in September, 2019, with an
amendment to the Municipal by-law to include Orono Cemetery and also to seek
approval to harmonize the cemetery fees with the other Clarington operated cemeteries.
2.5 This report and the attachments have been forwarded to the funeral home operators in
Clarington for their review and comment.
3. Concurrence
This report has been reviewed by the Municipal Clerk and the Director of Finance who
concur with the recommendations.
4. Conclusion
Cemetery fees need to be revised each year in order to maintain financial support for
the provision of interment and other related services. The rates recommended for 2019,
including the proposed surcharges, are comparable to other Municipal operated
cemeteries and have been established to primarily recover expenses related to staff
time.
It is therefore respectfully requested that Council approve the proposed surcharges, the
attached fee schedule for 2019 and the method of calculating service fees for each
future year using the CPI.
Municipality of Clarington
Resort OPD -006-19
5. Strategic Plan Application
Not applicable
Submitted by.
I
Frederick J. Horvath
Director of Operations
Page 5
Reviewed by:
Andrew C. Allison, B. Comma, LL.B
CAO
Staff Contact: Stephen Brake, Manager of Operations, 905-263-2291 or
sbrake clarington.net
Attachments:
Attachment 1 — Amending By-law including Proposed Cemetery Fees (2019)
Attachment 2 — Current Schedule of Cemetery Fees (2018)
List of Interested Parties:
Armstrong Funeral Home Limited
Courtice Funeral Home
McIntosh -Anderson -Kellam Funeral Home Ltd.
Morris Funeral Chapel Ltd.
Newcastle Funeral Home Ltd.
Northcutt Elliott Funeral Home
Municipality of Clarington
Attachment 1 to
Report OPD -006-19
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Co-ordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131
The Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington
By-law 2019 -XXX
Being a By-law to amend By-law 2012-061 as amended, being a by-law to provide for the
maintenance, management, regulation and control of the cemeteries in the Municipality of
Clarington.
Whereas the Cemeteries Act (Revised) 1990 provides for the regulation and restriction of
use of lands identified as a cemetery;
Now therefore the Council of the Municipality of Clarington enacts as follows:
1. That the Tariff of Rates set out in Attachment 1 hereto shall be adjusted, without
amendment to this By-law annually on January 1St in each year, commencing
on May 1St, 2020, in accordance with the November over November, Ontario
All -Items Consumer Price Index (CPI).
This by-law shall come into force and effect on August 1, 2019.
By -Law passed in open session this _ day of
2019.
Adrian Foster, Mayor
C. Anne Greentree, Municipal Clerk
The Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington
Schedule "A"
Cemeteries - Proposed Tariff of Rates - 2019
1. Sale of Plots
Type of
Lot
Dimension
Bowmanville
Dimension
Bondhead
40%
Perpetual
Care Rate
Rate (does not
include applicable
taxes)
Single
3'X 9'
3'X 9'
$760.00
$1,890.00
Infant
1.5 ' X 3'
1.5'X 3'
No Charge
Cremation
2'X 2'
2'X 2'
$255.00
$630.00
2. Sale of Cremation Niches
Columbarium
Niche Size
15%
Perpetual
Care Rate
Rate (does not
include applicable
taxes)
Single
12" X 12" X 12"
Infant / Child
$1,515.00
(including
$380.00
$230.00
$190.00
Plaque)
Double
12" X 12" X 12"
$325.00
$2,160.00
(including
Plaque)
3. Interment
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Adult — Single Depth
$995.00
Adult — Double Depth
$1,240.00
Infant / Child
No Charge
Cremation
$380.00
Niche Wall
$190.00
Disinterment Charges
5. Interment on a Saturday Surcharge
Rate (does not include
Cremation / Niche Wall
applicable taxes)
Disinterment (adult) including reburial at
$1,640.00
the same location or at another location
in the same cemetery
$125.00
Disinterment (adult) for burial at another
$1,390.00
cemetery
$12.00
Disinterment (child) including burial at
$1,030.00
another location in the same cemetery
Disinterment (child) including reburial at
$925.00
same grave or different cemetery
Disinterment (infant / cremation)
$450.00
including reburial at another location in
the same cemetery
Disinterment (infant / cremation)
$305.00
including reburial at same grave or
different cemetery
5. Interment on a Saturday Surcharge
Interment on a Sunday/Statutory Holiday Surcharge
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Cremation / Niche Wall
No Charge
Plot
$230.00
Interment on a Sunday/Statutory Holiday Surcharge
7. Other Surcharges
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Cremation / Niche Wall
$200.00
Plot
$550.00
7. Other Surcharges
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Disinterment for double depth burial (fee
$330.00
is additional)
Rental for lowering device, set-up and
$125.00
dressing
Provincial Licence Fee (subject to
$12.00
change)
Monument Foundations and Setting Markers
Transfer
Fee $30.00
10. Perpetual Care
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Monument Foundation (flat fee)
$420.00
Flat Marker Foundation (flat fee)
$260.00
Cremation / Baby Markers (flat fee)
$115.00
Removal of Monuments
$80.00
Transfer
Fee $30.00
10. Perpetual Care
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Headstone Maintenance
$100.00
Footstone Maintenance
$50.00
The Corporation of the Municipality Of Clarington
Schedule "A"
Cemeteries - Tariff of Rates - 2018
1. Sale of Plots
Type of
Lot
Dimension
Bowmanville
Dimension
Bondhead
40%
Perpetual
Care Rate
Rate (does not
include applicable
taxes)
Single
3'X 9'
3'X 9'
$720.00
$1,800.00
Babyland
1.5 ` X 3'
1.5'X 3'
No Charge
Cremation
2'X 2'
2'X 2'
$240.00
$600.00
2. Sale of Cremation Niches
Columbarium
Niche Size
15%
Perpetual
Care Rate
Rate (does not
include applicable
taxes)
Single
12" X 12" X 12"
Infant / Child
$1,440.00
(including
$360.00
$216.00
$180.00
Plaque)
Double
12" X 12" X 12"
$308.25
$2,055.00
(including
Plaque)
3. Interment
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Adult — Single Depth
$945.00
Adult— Double Depth
$1,180.00
Infant / Child
No Charge
Cremation
$360.00
Niche Wall
$180.00
Disinterment Charges
5. Holiday And Other Surcharges
Rate (does not include
Monument foundation flat fee
applicable taxes)
Disinterment (adult) including reburial at
$1,560.00
the same location or at another location
$480.00
in the same cemetery
$75.00
Disinterment (adult) for burial at another
$1,320.00
cemetery
Disinterment (child) including burial at
$980.00
another location in the same cemetery
Disinterment (child) including reburial at
$880.00
same grave or different cemetery
Disinterment (infant / cremation)
$425.00
including reburial at another location in
the same cemetery
Disinterment (infant / cremation)
$290.00
including reburial at same grave or
different cemetery
5. Holiday And Other Surcharges
6. Monument Foundations And Setting Markers
Rate (does not include
Monument foundation flat fee
applicable taxes)
Interment on Saturday (fee is additional)
$310.00
Interment on Sunday and Statutory
$480.00
Holidays (fee is additional)
$75.00
Disinterment for double depth burial (fee
$310.00
is additional)
Rental for lowering Device, set up and
$115.00
dressing
Provincial License Fee (subject to
$12.00
change)
6. Monument Foundations And Setting Markers
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Monument foundation flat fee
$400.00
Flat Marker Foundations flat fee
$245.00
Cremation / Baby Markers (flat fee)
$105.00
Removal of Monuments
$75.00
Transfer
Fee 1 $30.00
8. Perpetual Care
Rate (does not include
applicable taxes)
Headstone Maintenance
$100.00
Footstone Maintenance
$50.00