What is direct cremation?

A cremation without a funeral service beforehand, with the freedom to hold a memorial later, in your own time and way.

Updated September 29, 2026

A direct cremation is a cremation without a viewing, visitation or funeral service beforehand. The person is brought into the funeral provider's care, the paperwork is completed, the cremation takes place, and the ashes are returned to the family.

How it differs from a traditional funeral

A traditional funeral often includes embalming, a viewing or visitation with the body present, a casket, and a service at a funeral home or place of worship, followed by burial or cremation. With a direct cremation, none of these happen before the cremation.

None of them are required by law in BC. Consumer Protection BC says the laws it oversees don't require embalming or a viewing: "These are personal choices that are up to the family to make." A casket isn't required either. BC law requires only a rigid, combustible container, which can be a simple cardboard one.

Holding a memorial or celebration of life later

Choosing direct cremation doesn't mean going without a goodbye. The Province of BC lists memorial services and celebrations of life among the many forms a memorial can take, and many families hold one after the cremation, with or without the urn present.

Because the cremation is already done, you can choose the time, place and style. That might be a gathering at home, in a park, a hall or a place of worship, weeks or months later when family can travel. If you'd like to scatter the ashes as part of it, see Scattering ashes in BC for the rules.

Why families choose it

• Cost: with no embalming, viewing, casket or funeral home service, there are fewer goods and services to pay for.
• Time: you don't have to plan a service in the first few days, when you may be exhausted and family may still be on their way.
• Flexibility: you can plan a memorial that suits the person, on your own schedule and budget.
• Their wishes: some people ask for no funeral, or for something simple.

Direct cremation at Just Cremation

Our Simple Cremation package is a direct cremation. It includes bringing the person into our care from a hospital, a cardboard cremation container, the cremation at our own crematorium in Aldergrove, a white cardboard urn, the paperwork and one death certificate. If you'd like, you can add a brief identification viewing or a witness cremation. Every price is on our pricing page, and you can arrange online at any hour.

For more on the process itself, see What is cremation, and what does BC require?

If you'd like to talk it over first, we're here.