For Ontario families who have chosen cremation for a loved one, the next decision involves what to do, after the service, with the remains. Some families may choose to keep the cremated remains in their home, have them placed in a columbarium niche at the local cemetery or elect to scatter them in a meaningful location.
It is important to remember when making preparations for cremated remains that only certain individuals have the legal authority to decide what will happen with the body of a deceased loved one. This list includes exclusively, an estate trustee, a spouse, adult child (over 18) or the parents of the deceased.
In addition, it is a common misconception that cremated remains resemble fine, dust-like, ashes. In reality, cremated remains look and behave like small-grained gravel. It is important to check the wind and imagine how the remains will react when scattered through air or onto a body of water.
You may want to look into alternate methods of scattering the remains, for example trenching (digging a small trench and place the remains within) or raking (placing the remains on a surface and using the rake to spread them around).