City of Iqaluit may pay for residents' funeral expenses

Iqaluit residents' funeral expenses may soon be covered by the city.

At a finance committee meeting Tuesday, a motion was passed to allocate money in the 2021 budget to cover funeral expenses.

"Regardless of race, or any other dividing factors, if you live in Iqaluit and you want to be buried in Iqaluit, my proposal is that you would be covered under [an] eventual city-paid funeral," said city councillorand finance committee chairKyle Sheppard.

Sheppard introduced the proposal. The city will look to see if Inuit organizations, and the territorial and federal governments, would contribute to funeraland burialcosts. Money for funeral expensescould also be generated through the city's general fund and an increase in taxes.

Iqaluit only has one funeral directory which charges between $6,000 to $7,155 for a burial.

The biggest expense is a casket at$3,500. Other fees are for things liketransportation, corpse preparation and administration.

Many families are unable to pay these costs, leaving them scrambling to raise the money after someone dies.

Deputy mayor Janet Brewster said the level of service provided is also causing families stress.

"I think it's an opportunity to do better for families," said Brewster. "It is also an opportunity to set and meet higher standards for service for families in what is often the most difficult timein their lives."

The proposal says direct payments from the city to the funeral provider would give "administrative relief for the service provider" and an agreement between the provider and the city would guarantee an "adequate level of service provided."

I think it's an opportunity to do better for families.- Janet Brewster, Iqaluit deputy mayor

How funeral services would be provided still needs to be worked out by city staff. Those ideas will need to come before council and be voted on.

How much money will go towardfuneral expenses will be considered during the 2021 budget review before the end of the year.

"This is huge," said Mayor Kenny Bell. "This is a big change for our low-income citizens and just citizens in general."

The government of Nunavut will cover the cost of funerals in certain circumstances. These are specific to medical travel clients and medical travel escorts if someone dies while on an approved trip.

The Department of Family Services covers burials for those under the public guardianship program or the Children and Family Services Act.

It would still be up to the government of Nunavut to cover funeral expenses in these situations.