What does a funeral cost in Canada?

Typical costs

Prices vary widely depending on the province, the city and the choices a family makes. Dignity Memorial, a national funeral provider, estimates that funeral costs in Canada range from about $1,000 to $20,000, with an average of around $9,150, not including cemetery property or burial charges.¹ That is one provider's estimate, not an official statistic, so get written price lists from local funeral homes.

Where the money goes

• Funeral home services and staff
• Casket or urn
• Burial plot, opening and closing of the grave, or cremation
• Headstone or marker
• Visitation, ceremony, flowers, obituary, reception
• Transportation and death certificates

Cremation without a traditional service is generally the least expensive option. A burial with a viewing and ceremony is generally the most expensive.

The CPP death benefit

If the person who died contributed enough to the Canada Pension Plan, their estate may receive a one-time death benefit of $2,500. For deaths on or after January 1, 2025, an extra $2,500 may be available if the contributor had no spouse or common-law partner and never received a CPP retirement or disability pension.² Even so, that benefit typically covers only part of a funeral.

Ways families pay

• Savings or the estate
• A prepaid funeral plan bought directly from a funeral home
• Life insurance, including final expense insurance

This guide is general information, not insurance, financial, legal or tax advice.