Is aquamation available in BC?

No. Alkaline hydrolysis, also called aquamation or water cremation, is not a legal form of disposition in British Columbia.

Updated September 29, 2026

No. Aquamation, also called alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation, uses water, alkaline chemicals, heat and pressure instead of flame. It is not available in British Columbia.

Consumer Protection BC, which licenses funeral providers and crematoriums, says: "Alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction are not legal forms of disposition in British Columbia."

The Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act allows a body to be disposed of in BC by interment, such as burial in a cemetery, or by cremation in a crematorium. It does not include alkaline hydrolysis, and as of September 2026 it had not been changed to allow it.

Alkaline hydrolysis is legal in some other places. If a body has gone through alkaline hydrolysis elsewhere and the remains are brought to BC, Consumer Protection BC says they must be handled like any other human remains, which means they would need to be cremated or buried in a cemetery. For example, they must be cremated before they can be scattered.

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