Collge Boral, funeral professionals team up for survey on future of industry

Collge Boral is teaming up with the Ontario Association of Cemetery and Funeral Professionals (OACFP) to study the impact of the pandemic on the funeral sector.

Calling it a "milestone" in their longstanding relationship, the OACFP said the collaboration with Collge Boral willget feedback from consumers who have used funeral services over the past two years.

In a statement, the OACFP said the survey findings will "inform the production of an updated bilingual toolkit to support bereavement professionals navigating emerging challenges caused by the pandemic."

Kate McMaster, communication co-ordinator with OACFP, said the pandemic had an enormous impact on the profession, as many people were unable to attend funerals or conduct funerals in the waythey were accustomed.

"There were a lot of changes very suddenly for families, and of coursethe profession had to respond," McMaster said.

At the height of the pandemic, funeral homes in Ontario were limited to the number ofservice attendees, forcing professionals to offer live streamed servicesor remote viewing from the funeral home.

"Technology has also played a big factor," she said. "So just making sure that consumers and the profession are readily available and able to adapt to that technology, such that they can go forward with any of the rites and rituals and and commemoration ceremonies that are important to families."

McMaster said informationfrom the surveyis expected to provide the funeral business with data to allow it to improve services, and make themmore "meaningful and friendly" for families.

Funeral home operators 'forgotten' during pandemic

Donald Perreault, a funeral director professor at Collge Boral, said the survey would help home operators prepare in case anything like COVID-19 happens again.

"Industry wise, when it comes to to playing a part in the health community, we're always forgotten," Perreault said. "For example,nothing was available to funeral homes and funeral directors in terms government providing personal protective equipment.

"We consider nurses, and doctors and paramedics, of course, on the front line. But at the end of the day, who is removing the dead bodies from the institutions?"

Perreault said that at the time, there was little consideration for funeral home operators, but he hopes the government will include them more in planning.

This survey, he added, will help improve and modernize the program at Collge Boral.

"When I began my career 30 years ago, my full day was to arrange funerals, embalm bodies, and conduct and direct funerals.

"Now, a lot of funeral homes don't even have funerals. People are selecting minimum services with cremation and oftentimes not even requiring the services of a funeral home."

The impact on recruiting future funeral home operators can't be understated,said Perreault.

"When you become a funeral director, you want to do those things I've just mentioned. And if things like that don't exist anymore in our time, we're going to have a hard time attracting people to the business."

Funding for this three-year research project is provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) College and Community Innovation Program.

The study results will be presented at the OACFP annual conference in Ottawa this September.