Frequently Asked Questions


What Is a Memorial Society?
A memorial society is a group of people who have joined together to obtain dignity, simplicity and economy in funeral arrangements through advanced planning.  Members are from all walks of life and age groups.  All support the principle of simple, preplanned funerals.  

Why Join CMS?
People who join CMS receive with their memberships detailed information on services available in our service area(s), and have a reference to an understanding funeral home - a funeral home which has agreed to provide special benefits to CMS members.

Is Membership Transferable?
Yes and no.  A membership cannot be transferred to another person.  It is, however, transferable to other similar societies throughout Canada.  A nominal fee is charged by the receiving society to cover the cost of transfer. Please click here for a list of Canadian memorial societies.

Is CMS Part of Calgary Co-op?
No.  We are proud to say we are our own co-operative; however, all Co-op food stores have our information/application brochures at their customer service centres.

Do I Have to Prepay for Funeral Services?
No.  We do not market prepaid services; however, pre-payment may be arranged directly with the funeral service provider in order to lock in currently-priced funeral plans.

What Happens if Death Occurs Away from Home?
There are insurance companies that specialize in providing coverage specific to funeral costs.  Ask your local funeral service provider about lifetime insurance coverage before you leave for your trip. 

What is the Difference Between a Membership Fee and a Records Administration Fee?
A membership fee is paid before death to enroll as a member with CMS. A records administration fee is paid after death and is collected by the funeral service provider on behalf of CMS so that we can update our records. The current record fee collected is $35.

What are the Benefits of Membership with CCMS?
1) Economy – The Board of Directors negotiates economically packaged plans for our members.
2) Lower stress level for survivors, who will know exactly what your wishes are, avoiding disagreements.

How Does Membership Work?
Memberships are considered active once the payment is successfully processed and your information resides in our database. Our service providers can access member information in our database to verify membership.

​One you join, we recommend you complete the Guidance Form and give a copy to your next of kin. This will enable them to carry out your wishes without additional grief of decision-making.  

If you joined online, your email confirmation from CCMS will contain a membership card and the Guidance Form.

If you joined by mail, and provided an email address, you will received the same information by email from our membership manager. 

If you joined online or by mail and did not provide an email address, we will send you the information by Canada Post. 

If you do not receive confirmation from CCMS, please contact our part-time  Membership Manager, Barb at admin@calgarymemorial.com or phone and leave a message at 403-248-2044.
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What Do I Get for Being a Member?
Our members receive:
  • The right to make simple, dignified and economical final arrangements with no sales pressure whatsoever;
  • Special member-only prices on basic plans;
  • Membership benefits at partnering businesses (coming soon)
  • Opportunity to preauthorize your arrangements by providing funeral directives in our member registry;
  • Coverage for your minor children at no cost until they are 18 years old;
  • Advocacy on your behalf for consumer-friendly funeral laws both on the provincial and federal levels;
  • Information and resources regarding your right to a wide variety of cremation and burial options;
  • Access to member-only planning literature, invitation to annual general meeting and the right to participate in the democratic process of the organization; and
  • The satisfaction of knowing you are part of a movement that has been advocating for the rights of funeral consumers and helping families with challenging life transitions for over 50 years.

​Can I Purchase a Membership for Someone Else?
Yes! If you are purchasing the membership for someone else, please provide the member's information - not your own. When completing payment, please give your name and credit card information.  A welcome email will be sent to the email provided on the registration form.

How Does the Registry Work?
​To facilitate better service to our members and service providers, we also have an online member registry where members can record their funeral preferences and vital information. Our service providers can access this information at time of need. 

All information we collect is secure, backed up and managed according to the Government of Alberta Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.

​You will need an active email address on file with us in order to receive a password to enable you to login to the registry. 
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​If you don't have an email address, we suggest you ask your next- of-kin to use theirs or you may wish to sign up and get your own email address. Here are some easy, free options:
Create a Gmail address - google.com‎
Create Email Account – Safe, Easy and for Free at mail.com
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If you don't want to provide an email address, you can still be a member and your next-of-kin will still have access to our plans. However, you will not be able to use the registry.

Ways to Purchase a Membership
Online:
Purchasing your membership online is quick, safe and easy using your credit card. The fee is $40  plus  a $2.15 handling fee to cover the administration fees.

Simply complete this online form_ and proceed with your payment by credit card. Forms submitted are date and time stamped following successful payment.  Your account will be manually activated in our database within 24 hours, after which time you may log in. 

By mail:
Please mail a cheque for $40 per person. 
1. Print the membership application form. Can't print the form? No problem. Include your full name, address, email and phone number. 
2. Mail with cheque or money order to: 

Calgary Co-operative Memorial Society 
Suite 204a-223 12 Ave SW. 
Calgary, AB  T2R 0G9​