Funeral Co-ops vs Memorial Societies
Memorial Societies are non-profit organizations formed to to help its members to plan funerals that are simple, dignified and affordable. Most memorial societies negotiate lower costs for basic services with locally-owned funeral homes. The care and service provided to CCMS members will be equivalent to what any consumer would receive.
The purpose of funeral co-ops is to provide funerals at cost and in a compassionate way. Usually the funeral co-op runs its own funeral company complete with standard services. The funeral company is owned by the members it serves. People join funeral co-ops in anticipation of their own deaths at some point in the future as well as that the deaths of those they love.
The funeral business has been changing in recent years. In the past, funeral homes were family-owned businesses with strong ties to their local community. Today, most funeral homes are owned by large corporations who keep the original "family name" on the door so people are not even aware the business is owned by a large corporation.
In Quebec, a network of over 30 funeral co-ops provides approximately 17% of all funerals in the province. The model functions very well especially in smaller communities. The largest funeral co-operative is in the City of Quebec with over 25,000 members and a 50% market share. The funeral co-op movement in Quebec has created their own federation to provide the local co-ops with various services.
There are almost no funeral co-ops west of the Quebec border except for Sudbury, Ontario and Steinbach, Manitoba and one that is being launched in Regina.
The purpose of funeral co-ops is to provide funerals at cost and in a compassionate way. Usually the funeral co-op runs its own funeral company complete with standard services. The funeral company is owned by the members it serves. People join funeral co-ops in anticipation of their own deaths at some point in the future as well as that the deaths of those they love.
The funeral business has been changing in recent years. In the past, funeral homes were family-owned businesses with strong ties to their local community. Today, most funeral homes are owned by large corporations who keep the original "family name" on the door so people are not even aware the business is owned by a large corporation.
In Quebec, a network of over 30 funeral co-ops provides approximately 17% of all funerals in the province. The model functions very well especially in smaller communities. The largest funeral co-operative is in the City of Quebec with over 25,000 members and a 50% market share. The funeral co-op movement in Quebec has created their own federation to provide the local co-ops with various services.
There are almost no funeral co-ops west of the Quebec border except for Sudbury, Ontario and Steinbach, Manitoba and one that is being launched in Regina.
A Funeral Co-operative in Calgary?
In 2009, the Canadian Co-operative Association contacted the Calgary Co-operative Memorial Society to investigate the opportunity to start a funeral co-operative in the Calgary marketplace. CCMS' Board of Director's and a group of interested co-operators did their due diligence by completing a market study and subsequent feasibility study with the aid of a Government of Canada grant from the Co-operative Development Initiative.
In January 2011, at the Annual General Meeting, a presentation was made to the CCMS membership on the outcome of the feasibility study.
Although the Board of Director's was satisfied with the services and contracts with the current service providers, it decided to prepare a business plan to have ready in case the market conditions changed or a service provider was no longer willing or able to provide economical funeral options for our members.
We are happy to share our findings and plan with any communities interested in starting their own funeral co-operative.
In January 2011, at the Annual General Meeting, a presentation was made to the CCMS membership on the outcome of the feasibility study.
Although the Board of Director's was satisfied with the services and contracts with the current service providers, it decided to prepare a business plan to have ready in case the market conditions changed or a service provider was no longer willing or able to provide economical funeral options for our members.
We are happy to share our findings and plan with any communities interested in starting their own funeral co-operative.
| ccms-feasibility_studyv3.doc |
| calgary_funeral_coop_business_plan_-_aug_8_draft.doc |
| ccms_feasibility_study_survey_results_summary-feb_2011.docx |
| calgary_funeral_cash_flow_-_aug_8.xls |