Consumer Protection BC issues licences for the following places, activities and occupations based on the requirements of the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act and the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Regulation:

Cemetery & Crematorium Operators
Funeral Providers
Funeral Director
Funeral Embalmer
Apprenticeship
Labour Mobility

Cemeteries and Crematoriums

The operation of a cemetery or crematorium for the disposal of human remains requires a licence in British Columbia.

A "cemetery" means land that is set apart or used as a place of burial of human remains or cremated remains and includes any incidental or ancillary buildings on the land as well as a columbarium or a mausoleum.

A "crematorium" means a building or a part of a building used for the purpose of cremating human remains and includes appliances and other equipment incidental or ancillary to that purpose.

Funeral Service Providers

A funeral provider requires a licence.

A "funeral provider" means a person who carries on the business of providing funeral services.

"Funeral services" mean:

1. arrangements and services related to the interment or cremation of human remains;
2. care and preparation of human remains for purposes related to paragraph (a);
3. bereavement rites and ceremonies; and
4. the supply of goods incidental to and as part of the arrangements, services, care, preparation and bereavement rites and ceremonies referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).

Funeral Director

Anyone engaged in the practice of a "funeral director" requires a licence. As defined in the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act, a "funeral director" means an individual who, in the course of business, does any of the following:

1. negotiates or enters into funeral contracts;
2. arranges, conducts or directs bereavement rites and ceremonies;
3. arranges for the interment or cremation of human remains;
4. transfers human remains or directs or supervises the transfer of human remains; or
5. cares for or prepares human remains prior to disposition, other than the disinfecting, preservation or restoration of human remains.

An individual who conducts bereavement rites and ceremonies, but does not perform any of the other functions of a funeral director, is exempt from the obligation to be licensed as a funeral director.

Embalmer

An "embalmer" is an individual who, prior to the disposition of human remains, engages in the disinfection, preservation, preparation or restoration of the human remains.

Apprenticeship

To obtain more information about becoming a funeral service apprentice, please refer to the Careers section of the Funeral Services Association of BC (FSABC) website. FSABC is the recognized agency for funeral service apprentice training and monitoring in British Columbia.

To obtain general information about apprenticeships in British Columbia, please refer to the Industry Training Authority (ITA).

To review the criteria for a Consumer Protection BC Apprentice licence, please click here.

Labour Mobility for Funeral Directors and Embalmers

Effective immediately, and consistent with the terms of the BC/AB Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) and the Canadian Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), Consumer Protection BC will recognize (for the purposes of granting a licence) those funeral directors and embalmers who are currently fully licensed and in good standing with any other regulatory body in Canada.

The application requirements for applicants from other jurisidctions include the provision of your current certification, attestation from the issuing authority of the regulatory body confirming the licence is in good standing, completion of the Consumer Protection BC application form, successful completion of the BC legislation examination as administerd through the Funeral Services Association of BC (FSABC) and payment of the appropriate fee.

Questions?

Please contact our Licensing Department.