Common questions
Green burial FAQ.
Answers drawn from the City of Campbell River’s Cemetery Management Bylaw No. 3733, 2019 and the excerpts of provincial law on the interment licence. General information, not legal or funeral-planning advice.
The basics
Green burial, in general.
What does the City call it?
A “green burial lot” in a designated “green burial section”. The fee schedule labels it the “Natural Burial (Green) Section”.
Is green burial available in Campbell River?
Yes. There is a designated green burial area at Elk Falls Cemetery, and green burial plots are currently available for purchase (confirmed by And Grace Too; the section’s exact location, size and availability should be confirmed with the City).
Does the body have to be embalmed?
No — and it must not be. Human remains in the green burial area must be in a natural state and not embalmed.
Is Elk Falls Cemetery the same as Elk Falls Crematorium?
No. Elk Falls Cemetery is the City of Campbell River’s municipal cemetery. Elk Falls Crematorium is a separate, privately operated business at the same site; it does not run the cemetery or the green burial area.
Caskets & shrouds
What can the body go in?
Can I be buried in a shroud?
Yes, if it is natural, fully biodegradable material, and the body is enclosed with a rigid base so it can be carried and lowered. The City must approve the specific shroud or container before the service.
Is a conventional casket required?
No. A casket, if used, must be primarily biodegradable and sustainable. Plywood, particleboard, fibreboard, metal, exotic or non-sustainable wood, bleached cardboard, and synthetic finishes, glues or linings are not permitted.
Can I put things in the casket with the body?
Only biodegradable items. No non-biodegradable personal item, memento or article may be placed inside the space occupied by the remains, and there can be no non-biodegradable liner or lining.
Can cremated remains go in the green area?
Yes, in a fully biodegradable urn or container — which may be recycled or unbleached paper or cardboard — with no plastic or metal liner. Scattering is not permitted in City cemeteries.
The process
Arranging and the day itself.
Can I buy a plot in advance?
Yes. An interment right in the green burial area can be bought at the time of need or ahead of time. The lot itself is assigned by the City only when it is needed for a burial.
How much notice does the City need?
Normally at least 24 hours. Shorter notice may be accepted with a short-notice fee. No booking is taken more than 60 days ahead.
Can a burial be on a weekend?
Burials can be on any day, at a time set with the City. A burial on a Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday, or one running past business hours, is charged an overtime fee.
Can family carry, lower or bury the body?
The container must have a safe means to lower it, and the family (or their provider) is responsible for the people and means to bring the body to the graveside. Only the City opens and closes the grave, but with advance notice family and friends may help fill it in, under City supervision.
Do I need a funeral director?
No. BC law does not require a family to hire a funeral home; a family member with the right to control disposition can register the death, get the Disposition Permit, apply for a private transfer permit, supply a compliant container, and arrange the burial with the City. Cremation, any embalming, and the interment itself are still done by licensed operators. Most people use a funeral provider for the practical help. See How to arrange a green burial.
Can the grave be reopened later?
Not for a discretionary disinterment. A green burial lot cannot be disinterred except on the order of a court or a medical health officer.
Memorials & visiting
Markers, flowers and planting.
Can I have a headstone?
Not an individual one. Inscriptions in the green burial area are made by the City on a shared communal memorial, on one line: name and years of birth and death. There is no obligation to have an inscription.
Can I leave flowers?
Floral tributes that come with the burial service may stay for up to two weeks. After that the City may remove them without notice. No other flowers, artificial flowers, planting or decorations may be placed on a green burial lot.
Can I plant a tree on the grave?
Only the City plants or supervises planting in the green burial area, using native species and a set plan. Depending on the lot, the family may be offered a choice of planting or a role in it.
When can I visit?
Every day, 7:00 a.m. to one hour after sunset. To protect the plantings, the City may limit or restrict visiting individual graves and vehicle access in the green burial area.
Costs
What it costs.
What does a green burial plot cost?
For 2026, before tax: $2,685 for a City resident and $3,010 for a non-resident, made up of the grave space, the Care Fund contribution and the opening & closing charge. Other fees can apply. See Costs for the breakdown and the points still to be confirmed with the City.
Bylaw Part 2, Part 8 (arts. 8.4–8.8, 8.12–8.13, 8.26), Part 9 (arts. 9.3–9.5, 9.7–9.14, 9.18–9.19, 9.21, 9.23–9.35, 9.41–9.44), Schedule A s.2–3, Schedule C (2026); Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act excerpts on Interment Licence Form CCR 2026/01.
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