Montreal Families of Deceased Still Waiting to Bury Loved Ones Following Cemetery Strike

For over a year, the urn containing Bridget Heffernan’s brother’s ashes has stayed in her Montreal-area home instead of being buried in the family plot at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery where her relatives have been laid to rest for almost a century.

Following her mother’s passing last September, Ms. Heffernan now has two sets of remains to inter instead of one.

Despite numerous attempts to contact management, months after a lengthy strike that halted operations at one of Canada’s largest cemeteries, Ms. Heffernan still hasn’t received any information on when the burials can occur.

Although she doesn’t mind having the urns at home, she eagerly anticipates the time when her mother and brother can be laid to rest in the family plot with a few relatives present and a priest to offer a prayer.

“Technically, they’re meant to return to the earth,” she remarked.

The cemetery was mostly closed to the public from mid-January to mid-September last year due to a strike that left over 300 bodies in storage awaiting burial. The cemetery resolved the strike with maintenance workers in July and office workers in December.

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Éric Choinière, director of sales and customer service for the cemetery, expressed empathy for the families waiting. “Our hearts go out to the families, and we understand the situation very well,” he said in a recent phone interview.

He mentioned that a rainy spring and the need for additional IT training for the office workers—who only resumed work in January—have delayed the cemetery’s efforts to catch up post-strike. He assured that appointments are being scheduled daily, and the cemetery aims to clear the backlog by year-end.

Denis Martin, an Oka resident, shared his struggle in arranging the burial of his mother’s ashes, Eileen Ashford, who passed away last April in Vancouver a few months shy of her 100th birthday. He’s been trying to organize the burial in the family plot at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges with her extensive family, including seven children.

Although they had hoped for an April ceremony on the anniversary of her passing, Mr. Martin was informed of a lengthy backlog preventing them from securing a date. The emotional toll on the family, especially those who couldn’t attend the previous year’s funeral, has been considerable.

Ms. Heffernan expressed her frustration with the lack of information and guidance despite reaching out to the cemetery shortly after her brother’s passing in March 2023. While she has received some responses, it remains unclear what steps she needs to take to secure a burial date or her position on the waiting list.

Several individuals, including Andy Masterson, shared similar frustrations in trying to obtain burial dates for their loved ones. Mr. Masterson emphasized the need for closure and effective communication from the cemetery.

Mr. Martin, however, received positive news shortly after speaking with The Canadian Press, learning that his mother’s burial can take place on a requested date of September 6.