Eco-Friendly Burial Options in Canada: Why B.C. Needs More Options

In British Columbia, we have two legal options when it comes to body disposition: burial and cremation. That’s it.

Burial in BC: Traditional vs. Green Burial

Traditional burial is what most people picture when they think of a cemetery: caskets, flat lawns, and headstones. The grave is dug, a concrete liner (basically a big concrete box) is placed inside, the casket goes in, a lid is placed on top, and then the dirt is replaced.

Why the concrete liner? Over time, caskets break down and eventually collapse. Ever walked through an old cemetery and noticed sunken graves or uneven ground? That’s why. The liner keeps everything level, creating a neat and uniform lawn.

The alternative is Green Burial, which allows the body to return to nature as simply as possible. No concrete liner, no heavy casket—just a biodegradable shroud (think of a mummy wrapped in a sheet) or an eco-friendly casket like willow, pine, or even wool! After burial, the ground is planted with native trees and shrubs, helping to restore natural ecosystems. Instead of individual headstones, names are often engraved on a communal boulder, blending seamlessly with the landscape.

Two More Eco-Friendly Burial Options – Legal Elsewhere, But Not in BC (Yet!)

While other places are moving toward greener, more sustainable choices, BC is falling behind. Here are two methods gaining traction across Canada and the US but still banned here.

1. Alkaline Hydrolysis (Aquamation/Water Cremation)

This process breaks the body down using an alkaline solution instead of flame. The body is placed in a chamber and bathed in a mixture of potassium hydroxide and water, with heat and pressure speeding up the natural decomposition process. After a couple of hours, the soft tissue is dissolved, leaving only bones. These are processed into cremated remains—just like after flame cremation.

Aquamation is legal in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the Northwest Territories, as well as in many US states. But not B.C.

Why? According to the Cemetery, Interment and Funeral Service Act, the regulation that specifies acceptable disposition methods, only burial and cremation (by flame) are legal. And while other provinces have simply changed the regulation to include cremation by fire or water, BC insists on re-writing the entire Act! This will take time, and given the state of the world at this moment, it’s probably not high on the priority list.

2. Natural Organic Reduction (NOR / Terramation / Human Composting)

Terramation transforms the body into nutrient-rich soil through a natural decomposition process. The body is placed in a vessel with organic materials (like alfalfa and straw) and gently breaks down over 30 days, followed by a 30-day resting period. The result? A cubic yard of soil that families can use to nourish a memorial garden.

I’ve personally driven bodies down to Washington for Terramation at Return Home, for a beautiful “laying in” ceremony where the body is placed into it’s snug little container to be converted into soil. Later families could bring the soil back to BC and even use it in their flower gardens.

But now, Consumer Protection BC is cracking down, stating that under BC law, this nutrient-rich soil is still classified as “human remains.” That means families can’t keep it, transport it freely, or scatter it like cremated remains. Instead, the law says it must be buried in a cemetery—or cremated.

Yes, you read that right. The government is saying we need to cremate soil.

And it’s the same for aquamated remains. If you were to choose Aquamation in Saskatchewan and bring the remains back to BC, the law says they must be interred in a cemetery or cremated again.

It’s time for BC to catch up with more environmentally responsible burial options

 “We’ve seen this before,” says Colin Benesch of Earth’s Option Cremation and Burial Services, “There was a time when no one thought cremation would catch on.  People doubted the public wanted it, and now it’s the most common choice in B.C. The same happened with green burial. People are afraid of change, especially in this profession, but the public is asking for more options.”

If you think British Columbians deserve more choice when it comes to death care, it’s time to make some noise. Check out NOR in BC and the Aquamation BC Coalition to learn more and find out how to effectively make your voice heard. You can also write to your MLA (find yours here) and email the Solicitor General PSSG.Minister@gov.bc.ca and let them know that families deserve real, environmentally responsible options.

Because cremating dirt? That’s just absurd.