The Cemeteries Act, 1999 requires any new cemeteries or those being enlarged or relocated to be registered. Cemeteries include land used for columbariums and mausoleums. Owners of cemeteries are required to maintain cemetery to an acceptable community standard. There are offences and penalties for violations of the legislation.

• requires approval by the registrar for the establishment or expansion or relocation, not interior layout changes of cemeteries, mausolea and columbaria;
• requires owners to maintain cemeteries in a manner that ensures public safety and is compatible with community standards, rather than setting out specific requirements;
• requires an owner of a commercial cemetery to establish trust funds for ongoing care and maintenance of the cemetery and use only the interest to pay for maintenance, and requires new cemeteries (other than municipal cemeteries) to create care and maintenance funds;
• allows municipalities to assume responsibility for abandoned cemeteries and, in the case of neglected cemeteries, to require the owner to maintain it. If an owner fails to maintain the cemetery, the Act provides that the municipality may undertake maintenance and recover the cost from the owner;
• requires cemetery owners to make itemized price lists of their goods and services available to the public;
• requires licensing of commercial cemeteries and trusting of consumer funds, and provides prepaid contract cancellation rights for buyers;
• prohibits certain sales practices, such as solicitations in nursing homes and hospitals, solicitations that appear to be harassment and false representations that goods or services are required by law when they are not.

For more information, contact: 

Registrar
Consumer Protection Division
Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority
Suite 500, 1919 Saskatchewan Dr.
Regina, SK S4P 4H2
Phone: (306) 787-5550 Fax: (306) 787-9779
Toll-free: 1-877-880-5550
E-mail: consumerprotection@gov.sk.ca

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