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Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries Update on COVID-19
Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries remains available to serve families. We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of the families we serve, our bereavement partners and our dedicated staff.
Given the current situation with COVID-19, we want to reassure you that we have several ways to communicate, share information and provide cemetery services to you. We continue to adjust our operations to help reduce public interaction to do our part to slow down the transmission of this virus.
Our offices are open with limited public access. We are currently only meeting with families who have experienced a death and require immediate burial arrangements. Should you find it more convenient or preferable, we can make arrangements by phone and email.
Review the implemented protocols
- Appointments will be required. When meeting with our Family Services Coordinator, please use safe distance protocols including no direct physical contact such as handshakes and observe a 6-foot distance whenever possible.
- Arrangements appointments should be limited to 2 individuals.
- Payments for services are to be made by credit card.
- Planning Ahead (Pre-Arranging) - We are not scheduling appointments if a death has not occurred or is imminent at this time. You can contact our office by phone or email for a follow-up appointment at a later date to assist you with your pre-planning needs.
- Cemetery grounds are open. You can visit a grave, limit to 10 people per grave at one time, please practice physical distancing while on Cemetery grounds.
For all Interment and Cremation Services
- Any person who is under self-isolation is not permitted to attend services.
- Graveside Services and gatherings should be limited to immediate family members and will be limited to no more than 50 people. All attending the graveside service must remain 2 meters apart, unless they are part of the same household.
- We will encourage physical distancing and we ask that you avoid expressions of sympathy like handshaking, hugging and other direct physical contact with your guests.
- We encourage families to include a message in their obituaries and notices that anybody who is unwell should not attend, and to limit physical contact
- For lot interments, casketed remains will be placed on a cemetery device. Committal prayers will be completed, if requested, and thereafter patrons will be invited to leave - allowing our staff to complete the interment or burial.
- There will be no witnessing of lowering the casket or urn for the time being.
- Cemetery Operational Staff will only proceed to the interment site once all family members have left.
Screening
All visitors to our locations (with the exception of cemetery grounds) will be asked the following questions:
-
Do you have flu-like symptoms or any of the following?
- New or worse cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fever
- Vomiting or Diarrhea
-
Have you travelled outside of Canada after March 13, 2020?
- If a guest answers yes, they will be asked to return home. The appointment will be cancelled, and Cemetery arrangements will be made remotely.
Thank you for your patience, understanding and adhering to these protocols during these unprecedented times.
Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries
Phone 905-546-4704