Cemetery FAQs

No, because as an Interment Rights Holder, you only own the right to be interred. Specifically, you hold the authority to determine who can be buried in your grave, lot, or niche. In addition, you can choose the memorialization styles, provided they follow cemetery bylaws. However, the land itself remains the property and responsibility of Lakefield Cemetery.

Actually, Ontario law requires that cemeteries sell interment rights in perpetuity. As a result, you and your heirs will own the Interment Rights forever.

You can arrange rights for one person (sole owner) or for several people (joint owners).

As the cemetery records are the official book of record, you must register the change with the cemetery. If you want to transfer your Interment Rights you need to bring the current Interment Rights Certificate with you to the cemetery office. The cemetery will update its records and provide a replacement Interment Right Certificate reflecting the new Rights Holder(s). The office will charge a fee, listed in our price list, to register the changes.

If you change your mind for any reason within 30 days of your purchase and you haven’t used your interment rights, we will refund 100% of what you paid. After 30 days, you can still cancel your purchase, as long as your interment rights have not been exercised, we will negotiate a refund price, less the portion contributed to the Care and Maintenance Fund, and less an administration fee, in accordance with the law.

We allow the private sale of interment rights if you meet these specific conditions:

• You have paid for the rights in full.

• You hold an official Interment Rights Certificate.

• No burials have occurred and no memorials exist on the lot.

To complete a private sale, the current owner must return the certificate to the cemetery office. We will then issue a new certificate to the buyer within 30 days. Please note that Ontario law prevents you from selling rights for more than their current market value on our price list.

Rights Holders can pre-authorize future burials by completing an allocation or permission document. This form allows you to name specific individuals for burial and designate their exact locations. Additionally, the document grants permission for their future memorialization.

Taking this step now saves your family stress later. It removes the need for extra permissions during a difficult time. Consequently, our staff can follow your exact wishes without delay.

As long as someone has the written permission of the registered Interment Rights Holder, anyone – they don’t have to be a member of your family – can make use of a grave, niche or urn space.

When a sole owner dies, the right to burial is automatic. Future interest in the lot becomes part of their estate. If a joint owner dies, the surviving owners must give permission for any burial or memorial work.

If the owner dies without a will, or if the will is older than three years, succession laws determine the new owner. We establish rights in this specific order:

1. Spouse
2. Children
3. Grandchildren
4. Parents
5. Siblings

Often a Power of Attorney is granted to allow someone to oversee the individual’s affairs. For cemetery purposes, we will accept a General Power of Attorney or Property Power of Attorney. Once we review the document, the person with the Power of Attorney can sign in place of the Interment Rights Holder. Please note after the death of the Interment Rights Holder, Power of Attorney ceases and the Executor or Legal Next of Kin is required to sign for matters relating to the Interment Right.

Pre-planning saves your family from extra stress during a difficult time. It also ensures we follow your final wishes exactly. Most importantly, you lock in today’s prices when you plan ahead. This choice protects your family from all future cost increases.

A will is an important legal document, however, it often isn’t read until after the funeral/burial. Prearranging with us offers security to you and your family that the money to cover your final expenses will be immediately available when it’s needed.

When you purchase interment rights, we set aside a portion of the funds for land care. Depending on the location, this amount can reach 40% of the price.

We deposit these funds into a dedicated Care and Maintenance trust. The cemetery then uses the interest from this account to maintain the grounds. This system ensures we can care for the property in perpetuity. Therefore, your resting place remains beautiful and well-tended forever.

Fortunately, Ontario law requires us to set aside a percentage of every purchase price. Therefore, we place these funds into a trust for the permanent care and maintenance of the cemetery. Because these contributions can never be removed, the interest generated provides for the ongoing care of the grounds. In the unlikely event that interest is insufficient, the local municipality takes over the responsibility to ensure the grounds remain cared for in perpetuity.

No. Your purchase price includes the cost of ongoing care. When you buy a monument or marker, you pay a one-time fee. We use this specifically to maintain the safety of the monument or marker.

Yes. To meet the diverse needs of our community, Lakefield Cemetery offers several distinct sections designed for specific memorialization styles and personal values:

• Traditional Monument Section: Our classic burial area where families can place upright granite monuments. 

• Sunset Meadow: A premium section featuring wider grave spaces to accommodate larger monuments and family estates, often nestled near mature trees.

• Natural Green Burial Area: For those seeking an eco-friendly legacy, this section features a self-seeding wildflower meadow where burials occur without embalming or concrete vaults, and graves are marked by natural local boulders.

• Flat Marker Section: A beautifully manicured, park-like area where all memorials are placed flush with the ground, providing a serene and open landscape.

• Shared Monument Section: An economical option that allows two different families to share a single upright monument, reducing costs while maintaining a traditional aesthetic. 

• Veterans Recognition: While we serve veterans throughout our grounds, we take special pride in our “No Stone Left Alone” initiative, ensuring every veteran’s grave is honored with a poppy and a Canadian flag each November.

• Pet Burial (Companion’s Rest): We offer a unique section called Companion’s Rest, where human remains can be interred alongside their cherished pets.

Lot/plot/grave – A piece of land for the burial of a casket and/or an urn.

Columbarium – An above ground structure with compartments of niches (small spaces) for placement of urn(s) containing cremated remains. Discover out columbarium niche options here

We offer a wide range of memorialization options.
Upright monuments (formerly described as ‘headstones’, ‘tombstones’ or ‘stone’) – Monuments are a popular choice for year-round visibility. A wide variety of colours, styles, designs, and inscription choices are available. 
Flat markers – Bronze or granite markers can be placed either flush on the ground or vertically on a wall. Markers vary in size, shape, colour and design.
Tree dedications – Throughout the cemetery Lakefield offers families the option to choose an existing tree for dedication purposes or a memorial tree can be planted (location to be approved by management) with an accompanying plaque. No burial can take place at tree dedications, unless you are specifically purchasing a lot with a tree dedication.
Bench dedications – In many parts of the cemetery or on a two-grave lot or larger location, a memorial bench may be placed to provide the opportunity to visit, reflect and pay tribute.
Memorial Wall – As an additional form of memorialization, a person’s name and lifespan may be recorded on a bronze leaf or butterfly on our memorial wall.

Discover more about our memorialization options here.

Yes. We will work with you to ensure your plans meet your financial needs. You can pay for your arrangements in their entirety,or take advantage of our payment plans.

You decide exactly how much you want to plan in advance. Our team helps you explore traditional and contemporary options. We ensure these choices reflect your unique taste, culture, and budget. In specific cemetery sections, we package the lot and memorial together. However, you can also choose a lot in a non-packaged area. In that case, our cemetery services counselor will help you design a custom monument. This flexibility allows you to create the perfect tribute.