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Dispersal of Funeral Ashes into Water
The Town of Halton Hills has been managing activities related to the dispersal of funeral ashes into water on Town properties, along with the placement of other materials (flowers, fruits, clothing, religious items, jewelry, coins, etc.) which are part of the end-of-life ceremonies of some religions (referred to as “river offerings”).
This topic has been reviewed by Town Council at the following Council Meetings and full details can be found in those reports:
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Town does not have a designated site for dispersing funeral ashes into water. Residents and visitors are encouraged to use designated locations that are better equipped to accommodate this practice and gatherings or ceremonies.
Designated sites in and around the Greater Toronto Area include:
- Provincial Parks, including Bronte Creek and Forks of the Credit
- Ontario Khalsa Darbar in Mississauga
- Pickering Waterfront
- Prince of Wales Park in Toronto
Yes. While the Town encourages the use of designated sites, it recognizes that dispersing funeral ashes into water is an important end-of-life practice for some cultures and faiths. Provincial policy permits funeral ashes to be dispersed into waterways from Town property, and Parks Bylaw 2013-0062 does not prohibit this practice.
No. Items associated with ceremonies, such as flowers, fruit, clothing, religious items, jewelry or coins, cannot be left on Town property or placed in waterways. Parks Bylaw 2013-0062 prohibits pollution of waterways from Town parks. Town staff will remove offerings that are left behind.
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has advised that funeral ashes are not considered to have an ecological or environmental impact when dispersed in waterways. The Town relies on guidance from provincial experts on these matters.
Yes. Town staff have consulted with or received feedback from community groups and stakeholders, including the Norval Community Association, Willow Park Ecology Centre, POWER, Credit Valley Anglers and the Hindu Federation. The public and stakeholders also had opportunities to share their views with Council when staff reports were considered in 2021 and 2022. The Town has also consulted with local conservation authorities, provincial agencies, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and neighbouring municipalities.
The Town has taken several steps, including:
- monitoring activity at parks near waterways, including McNab Park and Shelagh Law Parkette
- using trail cameras at McNab Park from 2020 to 2021, which were removed in 2022
- installing educational and regulatory signage at McNab Park in English and Hindi
- contacting a funeral home that had been directing families to locations in Halton Hills and asking that they not be identified as scattering sites
- working with the Hindu Federation to provide education about environmentally responsible practices
McNab Park includes lands within the former Highway 7 right-of-way that remain under Ministry of Transportation (MTO) jurisdiction.
The Town previously operated the area under a temporary permit while the MTO considered transferring a portion of the property to the Town. In March 2023, the MTO advised that it was no longer considering a property transfer and instead asked the Town to consider a longer-term agreement or lease.
The MTO has continued to work with the Town and stakeholders on the use of the property and the activities occurring at McNab Park.
Town staff remove offerings as part of regular park maintenance. Updated signage was also installed in September 2023 to encourage visitors to use designated sites instead of McNab Park. The Town continues to work with community stakeholders to encourage the use of official designated locations.
If you see a person or family dispersing funeral ashes at the water’s edge, please be respectful. This may be an important and solemn cultural or religious practice.
If offerings or other materials have been left behind, call the Town at 905-873-2600 ext. 0 so Public Works and Parks Maintenance staff can respond.
Illegal activity in progress can be reported to the Halton Regional Police Service non-emergency line at 905-825-4777.
Following Council direction in May 2022, Town staff and local conservation authorities completed a technical review to determine whether a designated site was feasible in Halton Hills. Potential locations were evaluated based on factors such as access to water, anticipated use, parking, amenities and environmental considerations. No location was found to be technically feasible, so the study was concluded.
The Town continues to manage the dispersal of funeral ashes and river offerings based on previous Council direction.