CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM ASSOCIATION OF B.C.
Glossary of Terms
This glossary has been prepared by the Cemetery and Crematorium Association of British Columbia to assist the public in making informed decisions about cemetery and cremation services. The terms and definitions included are those in general usage and reflect applicable law, particularly in the Province of British Columbia.
ARRANGEMENT CONFERENCE
The meeting occurring either at-need or pre-need between the seller and purchaser during which funeral or cemetery services and merchandise are discussed.
AT-NEED
At the time of, or immediately following, death.
AUTHORIZING AGENT
A person who is lawfully authorized to control the disposition of human remains. (In British Columbia under the Order of Priority.)
BENEFICIARY
A person who benefits from an act, such as a person for whom a prepaid contract is entered into or the successor-in-interest of a life insurance policy.
BURIAL
One form of interment. The placement of human remains or cremated remains m a grave.
BURIAL PERMIT
A legal document issued by a regulatory authority authorizing final disposition of human remains.
BURIAL VAULT
A protective, sealable outer receptacle, into which a casket or urn is placed, designed to restrict the entrance of grave site elements into the casket or urn.
BYLAWS
The written regulations, rules or laws, by whatever name called, governing the organization, management and operation of a cemetery, mausoleum, columbarium or crematorium.
CARE FUND
An irrevocable trust fund established, held and administered in accordance with applicable law with the income from the fund to be used for the upkeep and repair of a cemetery, mausoleum or columbarium.
CASKET
A rigid container usually constructed of wood, metal, or similar materials, ornamented and lined with fabric, designed for the encasement of human remains.
CEMETERY
Land set apart or used as a place of interment, together with any incidental or ancillary buildings.
CEMETERY SERVICES
The disposition of human remains by interment or cremation and includes the supply of goods incidental to the provision of such service, but does not include the sale of lots.
COLUMBARIUM
A structure or building or an area in a structure or building that contains as an integral part of the structure or building or as free standing sections, niches for the inurnment of cremated remains.
COMMINGLING
The intentional, or accidental, mixing of the cremated remains of more than one deceased person.
CONTAINER
A self contained receptacle or enclosure, other than a casket, made of rigid cardboard, pressed wood or other similar material that is of sufficient strength to hold and conveniently transport human remains, but does not include a metal or fibreglass casket, a receptacle or enclosure made of plastic or similar substance, or a pouch or bag.
CREMATED REMAINS
The human bone fragments that remain after cremation that may also include the residue of any other materials cremated with the human remains.
CREMATION
The irreversible reduction of human remains to bone fragments through the application of flame and intense heat; in some jurisdictions this may include the repositioning or movement of the body during the process to complete the cremation, and the manual or mechanical reduction of the bone fragments after removal from the cremation chamber.
CREMATION AUTHORIZATION FORM
A document signed by the person having the legal entitlement to authorize cremation of human remains.
CREMATION CHAMBER
The enclosed space in which the cremation of human remains is performed.
CREMATORIUM
A building or a part of a building that is fitted with approved appliances for the purpose of cremating human remains and includes everything incidental or ancillary to it.
CRYPT
One kind of lot. A space in a mausoleum used or intended to be used for the entombment of human remains.
DEATH CERTIFICATE
A legal document certifying the vital statistics pertaining to the life and death of a deceased individual.
DIRECT DISPOSITION (or IMMEDIATE DISPOSITION)
The final disposition of human remains without any formal viewing, visitation, ritual, rite or ceremony.
DISINTERMENT
The removal of human remains along with the casket or container or any remaining portion of the casket or container holding the remains, from the lot in which the remains had been interred.
EASEMENT
A right acquired, whether or not evidenced by a certificate, to interment in a lot.
EMBALMER
An individual licensed to engage in the disinfection, preservation, preparation or restoration of human remains.
EMBALMING
The process of disinfecting, preserving or restoring human remains through the use of antiseptics, disinfectants or other fluids of a preservative nature that are administered by arterial injection or external application.
ENTOMBMENT
One form of interment. The placement of human remains in a mausoleum crypt.
EXHUMATION
The exposure of interred human remains for viewing or for examination, whether in or removed from the lot in which the human remains had been interred.
FUNERAL SERVICES
The arrangements care and preparation of human remains for interment, cremation or other disposition and includes the supply of goods incidental to the arrangements care and preparation, but does not include the sale of lots.
FUNERAL DIRECTOR
An individual licensed to arrange, conduct or direct funerals or the transfer or disposition of human remains, or to arrange burials.
GRAVE
One kind of lot. A space of ground in a cemetery used or intended to be used for the burial of human remains or cremated remains.
GRAVE LINER
A one piece or sectional receptacle with a lid that may or may not have a bottom, constructed of cement or other durable material into which a casket or container holding human remains is placed during the burial process.
HUMAN REMAINS
A dead human body in any stage of decomposition, but does not include cremated remains.
INTERMENT
The disposition by:
- burial of human remains or cremated remains in a grave;
- entombment of human remains in a mausoleum, or:
- inurnment of cremated remains in a columbarium.
INTERMENT FEE
The service charge for opening and closing a lot (see Opening and Closing).
INURNMENT
One form of cremated remains interment. The process of placing cremated remains in a receptacle including, but not limited to, an urn and placing the urn into a niche.
LAWN CRYPT
A pre-installed concrete or other durable and rigid outer receptacle placed in a grave designed for one or more burials.
LEGALLY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
The person who has the right to control the disposition of the human remains of a decedent. (In British Columbia law under the Order of Priority.)
LICENSEE
A licensed funeral provider, funeral director or embalmer.
LOT
A space used or intended to be used for the interment of human remains or cremated remains under a right of interment and includes a grave, crypt, niche or plot.
LOT HOLDER
The person in whose name the right of interment in a lot is registered in the records of a cemetery and, where the interment has taken place, includes the person who has legally acquired ancillary rights in the lot.
MAINTENANCE FUND
A fund established for the upkeep and repair of a cemetery, mausoleum or columbarium.
MAUSOLEUM
A structure or building that contains interior or exterior crypts designed for the entombment of human remains.
MAUSOLEUM CRYPT
A chamber of a mausoleum of sufficient size for entombment of human remains. Crypts may be configured in various arrangements for multiple entombments: companion, couch, side by side for two; tandem or true companion (end to end placement for two); family abbeys for placement one above another; and multiple family abbeys for up to four similar entombments.
MEMORIAL
A product, meeting the bylaw standard of a cemetery, used or intended to be used to identify a lot or to memorialize a deceased person interred or to be interred in a lot, including but not limited to:
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- a marker, headstone, tombstone, monument, plaque, tablet or plate on a lot, or
- an inscription, lettering or ornamentation on a crypt or niche front.
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MEMORIAL DEALER
A person who offers for sale or sells memorials to the public.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
A ceremony, rite or ritual commemorating the life of a deceased without the human remains being present.
NICHE
One kind of lot. A space, usually within a columbarium, designed for the inurnment of cremated remains.
OPENING AND CLOSING
The process of making an interment including, but not limited to; administrative, legal, labour and mechanical services performed by the cemetery operator in conjunction with the opening of a lot in preparation for the interment of human or cremated remains; and the subsequent closing of the interment space after the interment has been performed.
OPERATOR
In British Columbia a corporation, company, society or board of cemetery trustees that own, control or manage a cemetery, mausoleum, columbarium or crematorium.
OUTER CONTAINER
A receptacle, which is designed for placement in a grave to accept the placement of a casket or urn.
PRE-ARRANGED FUNERAL SERVICES PLAN
A contract under which, in consideration of full or partial payment made in advance, a funeral service provider contracts to provide future funeral services for one or more persons who are alive at the time the contract is entered into.
PRE-NEED
Any time prior to death.
PRE-NEED CEMETERY SERVICES PLAN
A contract under which, in consideration of full or partial payment made in advance, an operator contracts to provide future cemetery services for one or more persons who are alive at the time the contract is entered into.
REGISTRAR
In British Columbia, the person responsible for the administration and enforcement of applicable law and regulation relating to cemetery, crematorium and funeral services. (Outside of B.C. may be referred to as the Regulatory Authority or Regulator.)
RIGHT OF INTERMENT
A right, acquired by purchase, inheritance or transfer, for the interment of human remains or cremated remains in a lot.
SCATTERING
The irreversible dispersal of cremated remains over a body of land or water or commingling in a defined area within a cemetery.
URN
A receptacle for the encasement of cremated remains.