The box is on the table and the urn is beside it. Opening either one can feel heavy, and many families wait until they feel ready. When you are, the steps below will guide you through it with care.
Here's how to put ashes in an urn. Most families leave the ashes in the sealed plastic bag they came in and lower the whole bag into the urn. That's what the bag is for. Take the ashes out only if the urn's opening is too narrow, the urn is biodegradable, or you're dividing them. Keep the small metal ID disc with the ashes and the cremation certificate with your papers. Set aside about 15 minutes, indoors, with no fan running.
At a glance: bag in or out?
| Your situation | Bag in or out? | What to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Standard urn with a wide opening | Leave the bag in | The ID disc in the urn, the certificate in your papers |
| Narrow or oval urn | Re-tie the bag higher, use a new bag, or pour with a funnel | Same |
| Biodegradable urn for earth or water burial | Take the ashes out (plastic doesn't break down) | The ID disc and the certificate, kept at home |
| Keepsakes, or sharing between family | Take out a portion at a time | The disc stays with the largest share |
| Niche or columbarium | Ask the cemetery first; some accept the box or bag as is | The certificate |
| Flying or shipping first | Don't transfer yet | The crematorium's container and the certificate |
What comes back from the crematorium
Many families are surprised by how plain it looks. In Ontario and Quebec, ashes usually come back in a sealed plastic bag inside a simple box. Inside you'll find:
- The sealed bag holding the ashes, closed with a tie
- A small metal ID disc, attached to the bag or sitting with it
- The cremation certificate, the paper that says who was cremated, where and when
The bag keeps the ashes together, clean and labelled, so they can go into any urn, keepsake or niche later. That's also what Cleo families receive. An urn isn't part of our fixed, all-inclusive price, so you're free to choose one later, or never. If you're wondering whether you need one at all, here's what actually comes back with a direct cremation.
Not sure what to do next? You can talk it through with a real person, no pressure — (438) 817-1770
Do you take ashes out of the bag to put them in an urn?
It's a fair question, and the answer is usually no. You can lower the sealed bag straight into the urn and close the lid. The bag keeps the ashes from sifting into the urn's seams, keeps the ID disc with them, and makes it easy to move or scatter them later.
There are three times the bag does come out:
- The opening is too narrow for the bag to pass through.
- The urn is biodegradable, for burial in earth or water, because the plastic would stay behind.
- You're dividing the ashes into keepsakes or between family members.
How to put ashes in an urn, step by step
Some families do this together; others prefer to do it alone. Either is fine. Take your time.
What you need
- A table or counter, indoors, with windows closed and fans off
- An old sheet or towel underneath
- Scissors
- A funnel, or a sheet of stiff paper rolled into a cone
- A large spoon
- A new twist tie or zip tie
- A second pair of hands if the urn is heavy
If the bag fits
- Open the urn. Many open from the top; some open from a plate on the bottom held by small screws.
- Lift the bag from the box, holding it upright from underneath.
- Lower the bag into the urn and fold the top over.
- Place the ID disc on top of the bag.
- Close the urn.
If the bag doesn't fit
Oval urns and urns with a narrow neck are the usual culprits. You have three options:
- Re-tie the bag higher. Cut the tie, gather the bag closer to the ashes, and close it with a new tie. A tighter bag is narrower and easier to guide through the opening.
- Use a new bag. Set a clean bag inside the urn, then pour the ashes into it through the funnel.
- Pour straight into the urn. Use the funnel and go slowly. Tap the old bag gently to empty it.
Ashes are mostly fine, dry bone fragments, a little coarser than sand. If a few spill, use the spoon or a soft brush to return them to the urn.
Closing and sealing the urn
Most urns close with a threaded lid or a screwed base plate. You only need glue or silicone if the urn will never be opened again. If it's going into a niche, ask the cemetery before you seal it, because some have rules about how urns are closed.
What to do with the metal ID tag, the bag and the box
Both provinces require a numbered metal ID tag (the small disc in your box). In Ontario, the crematorium must place a metal ID tag with the ashes, carrying an identifier and the crematorium's name, and it stays with them until they're released to you (O. Reg. 30/11, s. 186). In Quebec, a numbered tag naming the business must be placed in the ash container (A-5.02, r. 1, s. 116).
Once the ashes are home, no rule tells you what to do with the disc. Most families keep it with the ashes, inside the urn.
Yes, you can cut the tagged bag if you need to. Keep the metal disc with the ashes and the certificate with your papers, because the certificate is what a cemetery or columbarium asks for. In Ontario, cemeteries ask for the cremation certificate before they inter ashes. In Quebec, each cemetery sets its own rules, so ask what they'll need. Keep the certificate somewhere safe either way.
The empty bag and box are yours to keep or throw away. Keep the box if you might travel with the ashes later.
Dividing ashes between family members or keepsakes
When a family shares the ashes, take out a portion at a time with the spoon and funnel. Label each container. Keep the ID disc with the largest share, usually the main urn.
For pendants, small keepsake urns and other ideas, see our guide to cremation jewellery and keepsakes.
If you have questions about dividing the ashes or choosing an urn, ask when you arrange. We'll tell you plainly what we do and don't do before the ashes come home.
Putting the urn in a niche, columbarium or family grave
One family who called us had a niche about 25 cm (10 inches) each way and was searching for a copper urn that would fit inside it. Measure first, then shop.
Before you buy anything, ask the cemetery:
- What are the inside measurements of the niche or plot?
- Is an urn required, or will they accept the ashes in their box or bag?
- Does the urn need to be sealed?
- What paperwork do they need? Bring the cremation certificate.
Rules differ: some cemeteries accept the ashes in the box they came in, others require an urn. Ask before you buy one you may not need. For what the day itself involves, read what interment in a cemetery or columbarium involves.
Flying or shipping? Transfer after, not before
If the ashes are travelling first, keep them in the crematorium's container until you arrive. Airport screening has to be able to see inside, and a dense metal or stone urn can block the X-ray. The rules for each airline are in our guide to flying with ashes in Canada.
Questions families ask
Common questions about putting ashes in an urn
Can I put ashes in an urn myself?
Yes. No law in Ontario or Quebec says a funeral home has to do it, and most families do it themselves at home. It takes about 15 minutes with a table, a sheet underneath and a funnel. If the sealed bag fits through the opening, there's no pouring at all.
How do I safely transfer ashes from one urn to another?
Open the old urn over a sheet. If the ashes are still in their bag, lift the bag out and lower it into the new urn. If they're loose, pour slowly through a funnel into a clean bag set inside the new urn. Move the ID disc across, and return any spilled ashes with a spoon.
Is it bad luck to open an urn?
No law or rule forbids it, and families open urns all the time to add, divide or move ashes. Some faiths and families have their own customs about disturbing ashes. If that matters to yours, a faith leader can tell you what's appropriate.
Do I need to buy an urn at all?
No. No law in Ontario or Quebec requires an urn, and ashes can stay in the box they came in for as long as you like. Many families keep them that way while they decide. For more on that, see keeping ashes at home.
What if I spill some of the ashes?
It can be upsetting, and it happens more often than families expect. Gently gather the ashes with a spoon or a soft brush and return them to the urn. Working over a sheet makes it easier to recover all of them.
When you're ready
There's no deadline for putting the ashes in an urn. They can stay safely in their box until you feel ready, whether that's tomorrow or months from now.
If you'd like to talk it through, a real person answers, 24/7, in English or French. We stay on for months after the cremation to help with paperwork, government benefits, and loose ends. Call (438) 817-1770.