Veterans Burial Regulations

3 (1) Financial assistance is payable for the following costs:

• (a) any medical costs of the deceased person’s last sickness that were not otherwise paid by the Minister and that are not insured under a private or provincial health care plan;

• (b) the costs of the following funeral services, namely,

  • (i) if the remains are to be buried, a casket that meets the standards specified by the Minister,

  • (ii) if the remains are to be cremated, the urn and the rental of a casket for viewing or, if rental is not available, the provision of a casket that meets the standards specified by the Minister,

  • (iii) normal preparation of the remains for viewing,

  • (iv) the use of a viewing room and a chapel,

  • (v) the use of a hearse and up to two vehicles for mourners and pallbearers,

  • (vi) the attendance at the place of burial or cremation by funeral home officials,

  • (vii) local transportation of the remains from the place where death occurred to the nearest funeral home and from there to the nearest place of burial, up to a maximum of 16 km for each stage,

  • (viii) in the case of cremation, local transportation of the remains from the place where death occurred to the nearest funeral home, from there to the nearest place of cremation and from there to the nearest place of burial, up to a maximum of 16 km for each stage,

  • (ix) regional transportation of the remains over a distance exceeding the maximum distance referred to in subparagraph (vii) or (viii) from the place where death occurred to the nearest funeral home and from there to the nearest place of burial or, in the case of a cremation, from the place where death occurred to the nearest funeral home, from there to the nearest place of cremation and from there to the nearest place of burial, and

  • (x) if a person dies at a place other than their normal place of residence while receiving a treatment for a serious illness or disability that is not available at their normal place of residence or when travelling to undergo a medical examination required by the Minister or by the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, the total cost of transportation of the remains to the person’s local funeral home;

• (c) if necessary, the cost of any special preparation of the remains for viewing;

• (d) if required, the cost of providing a single grave and reasonable costs of opening and closing the grave and its perpetual care;

• (e) if a grave liner is required by the authorities of the cemetery, municipality or province, the cost of a decomposable or non-decomposable grave liner; and

• (f) the cost of cremating the remains.

(2) The amount of financial assistance is the least of

• (a) the aggregate of the amounts for the costs described in subsection (1), adding any goods and services tax, harmonized sales tax or provincial sales tax. In this aggregate amount the costs, before tax, do not exceed

  • (i) in respect of the costs referred to in paragraph (1)(a), $75,

  • (ii) in respect of the costs referred to in subparagraphs (1)(b)(i) to (viii), $3,600,

  • (iii) in respect of the cost of transportation for a situation described in subparagraph (1)(b)(ix) or (x), if the service of two funeral directors is required, $500,

  • (iv) in respect of the cost of any special preparation of the remains under paragraph (1)(c), $210,

  • (v) in respect of the cost of a decomposable grave liner under paragraph (1)(e), $200, and

  • (vi) in respect of the cost of a non-decomposable grave liner under paragraph (1)(e), $570;

• (b) in the cases described in paragraph 2(a), the amount of any insufficiency of funds, determined under section 4.

(3) Despite paragraph (2)(a), an additional amount may be paid to cover the difference between the cost of a normal casket and the cost of an oversized casket or a hermetically sealed one.

(4) Financial assistance is payable only if no similar payment has been made by the Government of Canada in respect of the same deceased person.