In recounting his experience as the chaplain for a homeless woman who opted for medical assistance in dying at a hospital in Joliette, Que., Father Rodney Clark remembered the logistical challenges that arose following her passing. The woman had no family or financial means, leaving her body unclaimed.
Father Clark sought a donor to cover the costs of transporting and cremating her body before it was sent to a local funeral home. Despite his efforts to secure funding and arrange a free marked grave in time, the woman was already cremated and interred in a common grave within 24 hours of her death, joining the ranks of numerous unclaimed bodies in Quebec each year.
The number of unclaimed bodies in the province has doubled from 448 in 2020 to 992 in the latest statistics from Santé Québec. This surge includes cases overseen by the coroner’s office for unexplained or violent deaths where surviving family cannot be located or refuse to claim the body, necessitating provincial intervention for cremation or burial arrangements.
Mélanie Poirier, director at Magnus Poirier, noted a 200% increase in unclaimed bodies at their funeral home over the past five years. While Montreal sees the highest concentration of unclaimed bodies, other regions like the Laurentians and Lanaudière have witnessed a significant rise as well, possibly influenced by population shifts.
The fixed Quebec Pension Plan death benefit of $2,500, unchanged for nearly 30 years, covers only basic cremation and transportation expenses. Isabelle Perreault, a University of Ottawa criminology professor, highlighted the financial burden of funerals as a deterrent for claiming bodies, compounded by the misconception that claiming a body entails legal responsibilities for the deceased’s estate.
Seniors’ advocacy groups have called for an increase in the death benefit to $5,000, citing the inability of many elderly individuals to afford funeral services. Les Petits Frères, a non-profit supporting isolated seniors, has seen a rise in demand for assistance with burials due to financial constraints faced by their beneficiaries.
The Quebec government, however, expressed concerns over the financial implications of raising the death benefit, emphasizing the need for fiscal prudence amidst economic uncertainties. The death benefit, designed for basic expenses, may undergo future discussions but remains unchanged for now.
As the province grapples with the issue of unclaimed bodies, calls for improved collaboration between various stakeholders, including health authorities, law enforcement, religious groups, and charities, have emerged. The rise in unclaimed bodies underscores broader societal challenges that demand attention and collective action to prevent individuals from being left unclaimed.