What is the value in viewing?

Viewing is an important time because it reinforces the reality of death. It may not be easy to do but that is okay. Viewing allows family and friends to see that their loved one is at rest and free from pain and discomfort. It gives us a peaceful memory to cherish.

Why is embalming recommended?

Embalming is important for maintaining the health and safety of the public and the funeral home staff. This procedure ensures the preservation of the body from the time of death until disposition and it allows us to create an acceptable physical appearance of the deceased for the visitation time. Certain regulations exist that makes embalming necessary if the body is to be conveyed by public transportation.

How do I get an Official Death Certificate?

British Columbia residents applying for an official death certificate must apply through a local Vital Statistics Agency. There is $27.00 charge for each Death Certificate.

What is a Funeral Director’s Statement of Death?

It is a document supplied by the funeral director that can be used as proof of death in most cases. It contains the name and age of the deceased, the place and date of death, and the name and address of the funeral service provider. It does not include the cause of death.

Are You Competitively Priced?

At Oliveira Funeral Services Ltd. We dedicate ourselves to serving families well. This not only means we strive to assist them in putting together services that will be meaningful to them, it also means we strive to do so in such away as to make things affordable and value added. When some one you love passes away, you don’t want to have to worry about whether or not you are getting the best price. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our fee and those of our competitors. We honor all Memorial Society Contracts.

How do you make funeral Preplanning?

It is not a difficult or complicated task. Simply call our office and make an appointment or come by for a tour and cup of coffee. There are no fees for preplanning consultation. We provide price quotations on all our products and services without cost or obligation. Preplanning can be made at our Funeral Home or in the privacy of your own home. Your wishes will be recorded in writing and retained on file until needed.

Who Preplans a funeral?

People of all ages.Family members or an executor who is responsible for the care of someone in a nursing home or extended care facility.Family members who are caring for someone terminally ill.Anyone can consider preplanning.

What are the advantages of making Prearrangements?

Peace of mind and the assurance that your wishes are recorded.Preplanning provides an opportunity to ask questions and to get clear and concise answers on all aspects of the funeral.Personal choices can be considered and economic decisions made without emotional stress.Relieves family members of difficult choices at time of death. Preplanning is a practical idea that makes sense.Funeral Preplanning is every bit apart of sensible estate planning as Making a Will is or signing a personal directive.

Can a Preplan funeral be prepaid?

Yes, it’s your choice.Based on the last five decades, we know the cost of cemetery and funeral arrangements will continue to increase. Prepaying allows the costs to be frozen at today’s prices.Payment can be made in installments.You can also Pre-plan without payment.

If I choose to Pre-pay my funeral what Prepayment options do I have?

With a Pre-Need Funeral Trust Plan.Payments can be made by single payment or up to 5 year installments.(with interest free Payments) The funeral home must deposit your funds in trust. The accrued interest growth is applied to any cost increase when the services are required.

What happens when a death occurs at home?

If the death occurs unexpectedly or suddenly, the family should immediately contact the local police and inform them. The Coroner’s Office will be notified by the police and a Coroner will come to the place of the death to investigate the death. The deceased will then be transported to the nearest hospital for further investigation. After their investigation has been completed, the deceased will be released into the care of the funeral home selected by the family.If the death has been anticipated and the deceased was under a physician’s care, it is not necessary to contact the police. The family should advise the attending physician of the death and have the doctor complete a medical certificate of death. The family can also contact a funeral home of their choice to arrange for the transport of the deceased to the funeral home. The funeral home staff will then proceed to the residence and transfer the body to the funeral home without delay.

What happens when a death occurs in a care facility?

If an anticipated death occurs in a care facility, the attending physician will be notified and asked to complete the medical certificate of death. After the physician has signed the medical certificate, the care facility will notify the selected funeral home and they will come promptly to the deceased’s room at the care facility and transport the deceased to the funeral home.The family will have many options to consider following the death of their loved one so it is wise to consult a funeral director and determine the needs and wishes of the family. Consultation with a funeral director prior to the time of death will provide the family with information that can ease some of the burden faced when a death occurs. It also allows the family to supply the care facility with the name of the desired service provider so that the hospital can contact the funeral home as soon as possible following the death.

What happens when a death occurs while away from home?

When a death occurs away from home, it is preferable to contact a funeral home in the area where you wish to have the funeral service and interment. It will be more cost effective if the funeral home deals directly with a funeral firm in the place of death, rather than the family making the arrangements. After contact with the family, the funeral provider can then proceed to the place of death, if it is within a reasonable distance, or they can arrange for a local funeral firm to complete the necessary preparations to have the deceased returned home. Once the family returns back to their home, the remainder of the funeral arrangements can then be made with the funeral service provider.

How Long Do You Have to Wait For Your Loved One To Be Cremated?

In BC, you will need to wait 48 hours before a deceased body can be cremated by law. This is because cremation is a final process, and you will not be able to determine the exact cause of death after the cremation is completed.

How Does The Cremation Process Work?

Most cremations take place in a crematory. After a body is prepared for cremation, it is placed in a casket and slid into the cremation chamber. Only one casket is permitted at a time. Once everything is in place, an operator begins the cremation process, and this usually takes between two to three hours. Here the temperature is raised to approximately 1,400-1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, and after a period of two to three hours, the physical remains are consumed by heat.

Can I Watch The Cremation Process?

This may be possible with sufficient notice. You can contact Oliveira Funeral Home for additional information on rates and requirements.

What Happens After The Cremation Process?

The cremated remains are carefully removed from the cremation chamber. The cremated remains are then cleared off all metallic articles and are then run through a processor. These remains are transferred to an urn. Urns are labelled correctly with proper identification to ensure they are not misplaced or misidentified. The remains are then handed over to the family.

Is Cremation Becoming More Common?

Cremation has become the more popular over the past 2 decades. It may be due to cultural or religious requirements. In comparison to burial, cremation may be a less expensive option. Some people view cremations as being a greener option than burial.

What Can You Do With The Cremated Remains?

There are several different things that people choose to do with the cremated remains. You can keep the urn in your home, scatter the cremated remains on land or water, bury it in a cemetery plot or any other option.

Is Scattering Cremated Remains Illegal in B.C?

In British Columbia, cremated remains do not come under the laws and regulations for burials or cremations. If you plan on scattering the cremated remains on somebody else's property, you will need prior permission. You may scatter the cremated remains on water but make sure that it is not a marine park.You may have questions about Cremating a loved one and we’ll try our best to answer some of them for you below. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at Info@oliveirafuneralhome.com.

A Compassionate Guide to Planning a Funeral in Vancouver

October 23, 2025

We are so very sorry.
If you are reading this, it likely means someone you love is no more. And now, on top of the grief and the shock, you are faced with a task that feels impossible: you have to plan a funeral. It can feel like you’re being asked to climb a mountain when you can barely stand up.

We understand. We really, truly do. For over 20 years, our family at Oliveira Funeral Home has sat with families in Vancouver just like yours. We’ve held their hands and helped them find a way forward.

So please, take a deep breath. You don’t have to figure this all out at once. This isn’t a business transaction. It is an act of love. We’ve written this guide to help you walk through it, one small step at a time.

Step 1: Please, Just Pause.

This is the most important step, and it’s one most people skip.
Before you pick up the phone, and before you make a single list, just stop. Breathe. The world can wait for an hour. You do not have to do everything in the next ten minutes.
If you are with family, take a moment to just be together. If you are alone, please call someone you trust. Make a cup of tea. There is no rush. Your only job in this first hour is to be kind to yourself. You are in shock. That is normal and it is okay.

Step 2: The First Few Calls (When You’re Ready)

When you feel you can, there are two practical things to do.
First, the legal part. If your loved one passed away at home or not under medical care, you will need to call 911. The authorities will help you with the next legal steps. If they passed away in a hospital or a care facility, the staff there will guide you and will make this call for you.
Second, the personal part. Call a few close family members or friends. You do not have to call everyone. Just one or two. Share the burden. Let them help you.

Step 3: Finding Your Guide (Calling a Funeral Home)

Your next call will be to a funeral home.
This phone call is not a test. You do not need to have any answers. Think of it this way: you are not calling to order a funeral. You are calling to ask for a guide.
In Vancouver, you have many options. Our advice? Don’t just look for a price list. Look for a feeling.

When you call, does the person on the other end sound kind? Are they patient? Do they listen to you, or do they rush you? At Oliveira Funeral Home, we believe our job is to listen first. We are here 24/7, and you can call us just to ask questions. You are not committing to anything.

Step 4: The First Meeting (It’s Just a Conversation)

We call this the “arrangement meeting,” but it’s really just a conversation. It’s us, sitting with you, and gently figuring out the next steps.
We will ask you some simple questions to handle the official paperwork, which is a legal requirement in British Columbia. Your funeral director will use this to register the death with BC Vital Statistics. This includes things like your loved one’s full legal name, their date and place of birth, their Personal Health Number, and their parents’ names. If you don’t have all of it right away, it is okay. We can help you with this.

You may also be asked for their Social Insurance Number. Please know this isn’t for the death certificate itself, but it allows us to help you with other important steps, like applying for the Canada Pension Plan Death Benefit. We can explain all of this clearly when we meet.

Then, we will talk about the two main choices: cremation or burial.

This is a big decision. But please know, there is no “wrong” answer. It is a deeply personal choice based on your faith, your family traditions, or what your loved one wanted. Our job is not to sell you one or the other. Our job is to explain the options clearly, from a traditional funeral service followed by burial, to the many different ways you can honour someone with cremation.

Step 5: How to Say Goodbye (Telling Their Story)

This is the part that matters most.
This is where we move beyond the usual stuff. A funeral is not about the type of casket or the colour of the flowers. It is about the person. It is about telling their story.
So, let’s not think of it as “planning a funeral”. Let’s think of it as “creating a goodbye”.

What did they love?

Did your dad love fishing? Maybe we could have a small bowl with his favourite lures by the guestbook.

Was your mom famous for her chocolate chip cookies? You could share her recipe on a small card for people to take home.

Did they love the Whitecaps? Or the Canucks? We can incorporate their team’s colours.

There are no rules. You can have a formal, traditional service in a church. You can have a small, quiet gathering in our chapel. You can have a celebration of life at a later date. You can play their favourite rock music. You can read a beautiful poem.

The best services we’ve ever been part of are the ones that truly feel like the person. We will help you find those small, perfect touches.

Step 6: The Practical Things We Handle for You

While you are focusing on the story, we will be handling all the logistics. This is our job, and we take it very seriously.
We will coordinate with the church, the cemetery, or the crematorium. We will prepare all the legal paperwork for the BC Death Certificate. We will help you write the obituary and place it online. You do not have to juggle these things. We will do it for you.

We will also talk to you about cost. We believe in being 100% transparent. We will give you a clear, itemized list and explain every single charge. There will be no pressure and no surprises.

(This is also why many families now choose to pre-plan their funerals, to remove this financial stress from their loved ones. It is something we can talk about anytime.)

Step 7: After the Service is Over

The funeral service is a single day. Your grief is a journey.
The world goes back to normal, but your world has changed. The weeks and months after the funeral can be the hardest.
Please know that the support doesn’t stop. You will need to take care of your heart. We have a list of grief resources on our website, including local Vancouver support groups, that can help. Please use them. Talk to people. Be gentle with yourself.

You Are Not Alone

Planning a funeral is a profound, final act of love. It is one of the hardest things you will ever do.

But you do not have to do it alone.

Take it one step, one decision, one breath at a time. And if you get stuck, just stop. Call us. We can help. Our family is here to serve your family. Please, reach out to us at Oliveira Funeral Home at (604) 942-7920 anytime, day or night.

Also Read:
Finding the Right Funeral Services in Vancouver Amidst the Grief
A Loving Goodbye: How To Make Funeral Arrangement Services Special