You've received your loved one's ashes. Maybe they're sitting on the kitchen counter, maybe in the trunk of your car after a long drive home. And now you're wondering: can I keep these at home? Can I bury them in the backyard, or scatter them at the cottage?
The short answer is that Ontario's rules are more flexible than most people assume -- but there's one important distinction that trips families up. Keeping ashes at home is completely legal. Scattering ashes on your property is legal. But burying an urn on your property is a different story.
Here's what you need to know.
Keeping ashes at home in Ontario
Let's start with the simplest option. There are no laws in Ontario preventing you from keeping ashes at home. You don't need permission, you don't need to register anything, and there's no timeline for deciding what to do next.
About one in five Canadian families keep ashes at home, according to the Cremation Association of North America. Some keep them permanently. Others hold onto them while they figure out what feels right. Both are completely normal.
Where families typically place them
There's no protocol here -- it's personal. Some families keep ashes on a mantel, a bookshelf, or in a bedroom. Others place them somewhere private, like a closet or a cabinet. Some transfer the ashes into a decorative urn; others keep them in the container they arrived in.
The only practical consideration is keeping the container somewhere stable and dry. Ashes don't pose any health or safety risks -- they're completely sterile -- so there's nothing to worry about from a safety standpoint.
What if you move?
You can take ashes with you if you relocate within Ontario or to another province. There are no permits or paperwork required. If you're moving internationally, check the destination country's import rules -- most require a cremation certificate, which your cremation provider will have given you.
If you're coordinating from out of town and wondering about shipping ashes across provinces, it's straightforward. Ashes can be sent by courier or carried personally. At Cleo, families who arrange cremation remotely receive ashes delivered directly to their door -- even across provinces.
Burying ashes on your property in Ontario
This is where the rules get more specific. Under Ontario's Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, burial of human remains -- including ashes -- is only permitted in a licensed cemetery. That means you can't technically bury an urn in your backyard.
That said, this is widely considered a grey area in practice.
The practical reality
The law distinguishes between burying (placing remains in the ground as a permanent interment) and scattering (dispersing ashes on or into the ground). They're treated very differently:
| Action | Legal in Ontario? | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping ashes at home | Yes | None |
| Scattering on your own property | Yes | No additional permission needed |
| Scattering on someone else's property | Yes | Landowner consent required |
| Burying an urn on private property | Not technically permitted | Would require establishing a licensed cemetery |
| Burying in a licensed cemetery | Yes | Purchase interment rights |
Here's what this means in plain terms: if you want to place your parent's ashes in a meaningful spot in your garden, scattering them there is legal and achieves the same emotional outcome. You can scatter ashes around a tree, in a flower bed, or along a property line -- and it's fully permitted on your own land.
If you still want to bury an urn
Some families feel strongly about placing an urn in the ground rather than scattering. Estate law professionals at All About Estates suggest that if you choose this route, consider:
- Burying the urn at least three feet deep
- Using a biodegradable urn so it decomposes naturally over time
- Choosing a private, undisturbed area of your property
This is not explicitly sanctioned by Ontario law, but it's a commonly practised approach -- particularly at cottages or rural properties where the ashes will remain undisturbed.
What happens if you sell the property?
This is a concern many families share. If you've scattered or buried ashes on property you later sell, there's no legal obligation to disclose it to buyers and no requirement to excavate. Ashes scattered on the ground will naturally integrate into the soil. An urn buried at depth in a biodegradable container will decompose over time.
If the emotional connection to that spot matters to your family, you might consider keeping a small portion of the ashes and scattering the rest -- so the memory isn't tied to a single piece of property.
Scattering ashes on your property in Ontario
If your loved one had a favourite spot -- a garden they tended, a shoreline they fished from, a backyard where the grandchildren played -- scattering their ashes there is a meaningful and legal option.
The rules are straightforward
On your own property, you can scatter ashes without any additional permission or permits. On someone else's private property -- a family cottage owned by a sibling, a friend's farm -- you need the landowner's written consent.
There's one important caveat: if a property owner allows repeated ash scatterings on the same piece of land, the Bereavement Authority of Ontario requires that land to be established as a licensed cemetery -- which involves a $165,000 care and maintenance fund. This rule exists to prevent informal cemeteries from forming on private land.
For a single family honouring one loved one? You're well within the rules.
Check municipal bylaws first
Ontario's provincial rules are permissive, but your municipality may have additional restrictions. Some cities regulate scattering in public parks, beaches, and green spaces. Before scattering on any municipal land, call your local clerk's office and ask. It takes five minutes and saves potential complications.
Other options for ashes in Ontario
Not every family wants ashes at home or on their property. Ontario offers several other paths, and they're all valid.
Cemetery interment. You can purchase interment rights to place ashes in a grave, crypt, or columbarium niche at a licensed cemetery. This gives your family a permanent, maintained location to visit.
Crown land. Roughly 89% of Ontario is Crown land -- provincial parks, conservation reserves, and Crown-owned waterways. You can scatter ashes on Crown land without a permit, as long as the area is unoccupied and there are no signs prohibiting it.
Water. The Great Lakes, rivers, and connecting waterways are all options for scattering. Many families choose a lake or river that held special meaning. Use biodegradable materials and scatter with the current, not against it.
Splitting ashes among family members. There's nothing in Ontario law preventing you from dividing ashes. Some families keep a small portion at home and scatter the rest. Others split ashes among siblings so everyone has a keepsake. You can transfer portions into smaller urns, lockets, or memorial jewellery.
For a broader look at options, see our guide to what to do with ashes after cremation.
How to decide what's right for your family
If you're reading this with ashes on your counter and no idea what to do next -- that's okay. There's no deadline, no filing requirement, and no authority waiting for your decision.
You don't have to decide right now
Many families keep ashes at home for weeks, months, or years before choosing a final resting place. Some never choose one, and that's fine too. The ashes aren't going anywhere, and there's nothing wrong with taking the time you need.
If you're managing this from out of town -- maybe you arranged the cremation from another province and the ashes were shipped to you -- the same applies. You can keep them at home while you figure out what feels right. There's no rush.
You can combine options
You don't have to choose just one path. Families regularly:
- Keep a portion at home and scatter the rest at the cottage
- Divide ashes among siblings in different cities
- Scatter some at a meaningful location and inter the rest in a cemetery
- Keep all the ashes for now and decide later
Whatever combination honours your loved one and brings your family peace is the right one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bury ashes in my backyard in Ontario?
Technically, Ontario law requires burial of remains (including ashes) to take place in a licensed cemetery. However, scattering ashes in your backyard is legal and doesn't require any permits on your own property. Many families scatter ashes around a tree or garden as a meaningful alternative.
Is it legal to keep ashes at home in Ontario?
Yes. There are no laws in Ontario restricting you from keeping ashes at home. You don't need to register them, report them, or take any action within a specific timeframe.
Do I need permission to scatter ashes on my own property?
No. If it's your own property, you can scatter ashes freely. On someone else's property, you need the landowner's consent. Repeated scatterings on the same property require the land to be established as a licensed cemetery.
Can I bury an urn on private property in Ontario?
Burial of an urn is not technically permitted outside a licensed cemetery under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act. Some families choose to do so on rural or cottage property using a biodegradable urn at depth. Scattering on the same property is the fully legal alternative.
What happens to buried ashes if I sell my house?
There's no legal obligation to disclose or excavate buried ashes. Ashes scattered on the ground integrate into the soil naturally. An urn buried in a biodegradable container will decompose over time, leaving no trace.
Can I take ashes across provincial or international borders?
Within Canada, you can transport ashes freely between provinces -- no permits needed. For international travel, most countries require a cremation certificate and may ask for a declaration at customs. Airlines allow ashes in carry-on luggage. Check your destination country's specific requirements before travelling.
Whatever you choose is the right choice
There's no rule that says you have to scatter ashes within a certain timeframe. There's no law that says keeping them at home is somehow "less" than burying them. And there's no single right way to honour someone who has passed away.
Ontario's rules give you real flexibility. Keep ashes on your mantel. Scatter them in your garden. Take them to the lake. Split them among your siblings. Or hold onto them while you figure it out. All of those choices are valid, and all of them are legal.
If you have questions about cremation or what to do with ashes in Ontario, Cleo's team is here to help -- 24/7, with no pressure and no judgment. See our cremation services or call any time.
(438) 817-1770