Direct cremation in Pickering
Cremation services in Pickering
When a parent or partner passes away in Pickering, arranging a cremation shouldn't mean deciphering a price list. Cleo handles a complete cremation for one fixed, all-inclusive price of $2,500 plus tax — pickup anywhere from the Frenchman's Bay waterfront to Seaton and the rural north, every permit and the coroner's certificate, and your loved one's ashes brought home to your door.
Common questions
What Pickering families ask
Where does the cremation itself take place for Pickering families?
There's no licensed crematorium in Pickering itself, so you don't need to arrange or travel to one. Cleo brings your loved one into our care anywhere in Pickering, completes the cremation at the nearest licensed Ontario crematorium in Durham Region — in Ajax or Whitby — and returns the ashes to your door. One call handles all of it.
See how the process worksWhat does a direct cremation in Pickering cost?
Cleo's direct cremation in Pickering is one fixed, all-inclusive price — $2,500 plus tax — covering transport, the cremation, every permit, the death certificates and a dignified urn. The quote is the bill: no weekend surcharges, no add-ons. Ontario families can claim the CPP death benefit of up to $2,500, which leaves most paying roughly $325.
See exactly what's includedDoes Cleo serve all of Pickering, lakeshore to rural north?
Yes — the whole city, at the same all-inclusive price. From Bay Ridges, West Shore and Frenchman's Bay on the lake, through City Centre and the new Seaton community, up to the rural hamlets of Claremont, Greenwood, Whitevale and Brougham. Wherever you are in Pickering, there's no travel surcharge and no difference in the care.
What to do when someone dies in OntarioAll-inclusive
What's included in Pickering
One price, everything below — no à-la-carte surprises and no weekend surcharge.
- Transport from anywhere in Pickering — Bay Ridges, West Shore, City Centre, Seaton or the rural north — 24/7
- All permits, the coroner's cremation certificate and the death certificates, filed for you
- Cremation at a licensed Ontario crematorium
- A dignified urn for your loved one's ashes
- Ashes hand-delivered to your Pickering home
- Bilingual support at every step, day or night
Want an upgraded urn or a memorial gathering? They're available — never required.
How Cleo works
- 1
Call us, any time
Reach a real, bilingual person 24/7. We arrange transport into our care — usually within about four hours.
- 2
We handle everything
We file the declaration of death and all paperwork, and carry out the cremation at a licensed crematorium.
- 3
Ashes returned home
We personally hand-deliver your loved one's ashes to your door.
Compare
How Cleo compares in Pickering
A plain look at how an all-inclusive cremation with Cleo compares to other direct cremation providers and a traditional Durham Region funeral home.
| What you get | Cleo | Other direct cremation providers | Traditional funeral home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,500 all-inclusive, fixed (ON) — confirmed in writing before anything proceeds. | A low advertised rate that often grows once transport, containers and permits are added. | A package starting in the thousands, built around services many families don't need. |
| Arranging | Entirely by phone and online — no funeral-home visit required. | Often still needs an in-person meeting to sign and pay. | Typically one or more in-person appointments at the funeral home. |
| Return of ashes | Hand-delivered to your home anywhere in Pickering — even in a snowstorm. | Usually picked up at their office during business hours. | Collected at the funeral home, often alongside other arrangements. |
| Support | A real person answers 24/7, in English or French. | Varies by provider; often business hours only. | Varies by funeral home. |
| Focus | Direct cremation, done well — no upselling. | Direct cremation, with add-ons offered. | Full-service funerals; cremation is one option among many. |
Transparent Pricing
Cremation Pricing in Pickering
Choose a direct cremation and take your time planning the celebration your loved one deserves.
Cleo Cremation
Transparent pricing • No hidden fees
With CPP Death Benefit
After death benefit
What's Included
Dedicated team to guide and support you throughout your arrangements
Transportation of your loved one into our care 24/7.
We handle all the government paperwork, applying for official death certificates and applicable death benefits.
Private, dignified cremation (< 250 lbs)
Cremation container
Hand delivery of the ashes to you locally, or secure nationwide delivery.
Local coordination
Coordinating care across Pickering
When someone passes away in a hospital, long-term care home, or at home in Pickering, Cleo coordinates directly with the staff — so your family isn't left chasing logistics.
Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering Hospital
Hospital
The community hospital serving Pickering, at 580 Harwood Avenue South in neighbouring Ajax, with a 24/7 emergency department and inpatient care.
Orchard Villa Long-Term Care
Long-term care
A long-term care home on Valley Farm Road in Pickering City Centre; we coordinate transfers directly with the care team.
VON Durham Hospice Services
Hospice
In-home palliative and bereavement support for families across Durham Region, including Pickering, through the VON community palliative care team.
Compliance & transparency
Licensed, compliant, and transparent
Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) · Class 1 Transfer Service Licence (Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002)
Every death and cremation in Ontario follows a clear legal process — and Cleo handles all of it for Pickering families, correctly and in plain language.
- Cleo operates under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 — the law the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) administers on behalf of the province.
- In Ontario, a coroner must authorize every cremation, so we obtain the coroner's cremation certificate before anything proceeds, alongside registering the death.
- The cremation takes place only at a licensed Ontario crematorium, with careful identification of your loved one at every stage.
- Thinking about a resting place? Some Pickering families choose a cremation-interment plot or a columbarium niche at Duffin Meadows Cemetery on Brock Road North; others scatter along the Lake Ontario waterfront near Frenchman's Bay. Scattering is allowed on unposted public land and water when nothing is left behind — conservation areas like Petticoat Creek and Rouge National Urban Park have their own rules, and we'll walk you through the options.
Our Pickering Service Area
We cover the entire city and surrounding areas:
Areas We Serve
24/7 Service: 24/7 Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Call us at (438) 817-1770 any hour and we'll arrange transport, usually within about four hours. Whether your loved one is at Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering Hospital, a long-term care home like Orchard Villa, or at home, we coordinate the pickup directly with the staff.
No — there is no licensed crematorium within the City of Pickering. With Cleo you don't need one nearby: we bring your loved one into our care and complete the cremation at the nearest licensed Ontario crematorium in Durham Region, in Ajax or Whitby, then return the ashes to you.
No. Embalming is almost never needed for a direct cremation. Pickering families can choose a simple, dignified cremation without it, which keeps both the cost and the timeline down.
Many Pickering families choose a meaningful spot along the Lake Ontario waterfront — the Waterfront Trail or the shore near Frenchman's Bay. Ontario has no law against scattering on unposted public land or water when nothing is left behind; conservation areas such as Petticoat Creek and Rouge National Urban Park have their own rules, so check first, and we're glad to talk you through it.
Yes. Every step — the phone calls, the paperwork, the guidance — is available in English or French. You choose the language you're most comfortable with, and that's the one we work in.
Beyond Pickering, we serve Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Courtice and the surrounding Durham Region communities, as well as the rest of the Greater Toronto Area. The all-inclusive price is the same wherever you are.
Resources
Helpful guides for Pickering families
Cremation services across Toronto and the GTA
How direct cremation works across the Greater Toronto Area, start to finish.
How to arrange a cremation online or by phone
The simple, step-by-step way to arrange everything without a funeral-home visit.
What to do when someone dies in Ontario
The first calls, the paperwork and the decisions, in order.
Scattering ashes in Ontario: where it's allowed
The rules for scattering along the waterfront and in parks.
Cremation services in Ajax
Our neighbouring Durham Region page, for families in and around Ajax.
Not sure where to start? We'll walk you through it.
We understand this can be a difficult and confusing time. Our compassionate team is here to guide you through each step, with no pressure or complicated decisions.
Megan Zavitz
Funeral Director