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.

Cremation vs Burial: What’s Right for Your Family

November 24, 2025

When a loved one passes, your family is faced with many decisions at a time of great stress. The choice between burial and cremation is one of the most personal. And it can be clouded by myths and misconceptions.

As a family-owned home that serves your family like our own, the greatest commitment at Oliveira Funeral Home is to replace that confusion with clarity.They believe you deserve facts, shared with compassion, to make the decision that brings you peace.

Myth 1: “You can’t have a ‘real’ funeral or viewing.”

This is perhaps the most common misconception.
The underlying fear is a deep one: that choosing cremation means sacrificing the important rituals of a “proper” goodbye. Families worry it might cheat them of closure, or prevent the community from fully paying their respects. But here is the simple, important fact:

Cremation is a form of disposition, not a type of funeral. You can have a complete, traditional, and beautiful funeral service with cremation. You have options.

1. Traditional Funeral First
You can have a full viewing for family and friends. You can have a casket present. You can have a religious or celebratory service in the Oliveira chapel or at your own church.
After this complete service, the cremation takes place. This gives families the “best of both worlds” and is a very common and healing choice.

2. Memorial Service After
Families can also choose to have the cremation first. Then, they can hold a meaningful memorial service with the urn present. A meaningful funeral is about honoring a life. It’s not about the method of final disposition. The team at Oliveira will help you plan the exact service your loved one deserves, regardless of your final choice.

Myth 2: “Our faith doesn’t allow it (especially Catholicism).”

This is a big one.
For many families, this is the single biggest barrier. They fear making a choice that goes against God, their faith, and their community’s traditions. This is especially true given the Church’s historical stance.

But here is the fact:

The Catholic Church has permitted cremation for over 60 years.
It’s true the Church historically forbade it, but that ban was lifted all the way back in 1963. Now, the Church does have preferences. It “earnestly recommends” that the body be present for the Funeral Mass (which, as we saw in Myth 1, is completely possible).

The Church also asks that the cremated remains be laid to rest in a sacred place. This means a cemetery plot or a columbarium, to await the resurrection.

But the Church also shows great compassion.

In a recent 2023 update, the Vatican clarified that in certain, special cases, a family may receive permission to keep a “minimal part” of the ashes in a significant place. The team at Oliveira Funeral Home has deep experience serving the Catholic community. They can guide you in planning a service that fully honors your faith while respecting your personal wishes.

Myth 3: “The process is undignified or ‘unclean’.”

This is a hidden fear. It’s a question people are often too afraid to ask. They worry about what really happens. Are bodies mixed? Is it disrespectful?

Here is the truth:
The cremation process is a dignified, regulated, and completely individual procedure. In British Columbia, the law and the professional code of ethics are incredibly strict. The process is always individual. Only one person is ever cremated at a time. Always. The process uses intense heat, not fire. The remains you receive are not “ash” as one thinks of from a fireplace. They are the processed, mineral remains of the bone.

A metal identification tag is used throughout the entire process, from start to finish. This ensures, with 100% certainty, that the remains returned to you are only and always your loved one. The team at Oliveira Funeral Home considers it their sacred trust to care for your loved one. Every single step is handled with the utmost dignity by licensed professionals.

Myth 4: “We won’t have a grave to visit.”

This is a deep, human fear. It’s the fear of losing that physical, “forever” place to go to grieve, to reflect, and to be with your loved one.

But here is a fact many people don’t realize:

Cremation offers more options for a permanent memorial, not fewer.

A gravesite is a powerful “place to visit,” but it is not the only one.
• You can still have a traditional burial by interring the urn in a family plot.
• You can choose a beautiful niche in a columbarium (an above-ground wall for urns).
• You can scatter the remains in a cemetery’s dedicated scattering garden, which often has a central monument where a name can be engraved.

The human need for a place of remembrance is important. The Oliveira team can help you create a beautiful, permanent memorial that feels right for your family.

Our Promise: Answers Without Pressure
Your final decision should be made from a place of love and understanding, not from a place of fear or misinformation. Please call Oliveira Funeral Home anytime. They will answer all your questions, however personal, with no pressure. Their job is to provide the facts, so you can make the best choice for your family.