Funeral and celebration of life celebrants in Barrie

Where can you hold a celebration of life in Barrie?

You can rent a hall in one of the City's community centres. Halls are available at the Allandale Recreation Centre, the Dorian Parker Centre, the Parkview Centre and the General John Hayter Southshore Community Centre. The main hall at Allandale holds 225 people. From Monday to Thursday it costs $83 an hour plus HST (three-hour minimum) or $412.70 for the day. From Friday to Sunday it is $164.90 an hour or $668.90 for the day. Dorian Parker and Parkview use the same rates, and Southshore costs more. Music licensing fees (SOCAN and Re:Sound) are extra. You can send a request through the City's online facility booking form or call Service Barrie at 705-726-4242.

City parks are different: the City does not issue permits or reserve parks or pavilions for private gatherings. You are free to meet in a park, but nothing guarantees the space will be free when you arrive. For a larger group, a hall is the safer choice.

Can you scatter ashes in Barrie?

Talk to the City before you scatter ashes on City land. Ontario allows scattering on private land with the owner's consent, on unoccupied Crown land (including land covered by water) where no sign prohibits it, and on municipal land unless a by-law forbids it. A private landowner cannot charge you a fee unless they are a licensed cemetery operator. The City of Barrie's commemorative program page states that scattering ashes outside a registered cemetery is not permitted, so do not scatter ashes at a commemorative tree or in a City park without the City's approval.

How can you honour someone in a Barrie park?

Barrie's Commemorative Program lets you dedicate a tree with an engraved granite stone in Sunnidale Park for $650, or a native tree in a neighbourhood park, without a plaque, for $400. Both donations are tax-deductible. The program takes 15 trees a year and is full for 2026, and the City invites those interested to check back in 2027. Stone inscriptions must be submitted by August 15 to be installed the same fall. The bench program is on hold in 2026 while the City reviews it. Tags, plants and other personal items cannot be left at the tree. Applications go through Service Barrie.

Who registers the death in Barrie?

Usually the funeral director does, but a family member can also register it. In Ontario, the death is usually registered with the municipality where it happened. A burial permit, needed for a burial or a cremation, is issued only once the death is registered. In Barrie, the 2026 fee for a burial permit is $22.50, plus $75 when it is issued outside normal business hours.

When is a celebrant a good fit?

A celebrant is a good fit when you want a ceremony that speaks about the person, religious or not. A celebrant from our local network comes to the place you choose, whether that is a funeral home, a cemetery, a park, a hall or your home. They write the ceremony around the person's life. With Celebrance, the price is shown upfront, all-in, and if the celebrant becomes unavailable, Celebrance finds a replacement.

Information checked on September 24, 2026 against official sources from the City of Barrie and the Province of Ontario. Rules and fees can change: confirm with the City before you plan.

Sources: barrie.ca: rentals bookings · barrie.ca: parks amenities · barrie.ca: commemorative program · barrie.ca: fees bylaw schedule c.pdf · barrie.ca: contact service barrie · ontario.ca: arrange funeral burial cremation alkaline hydrolysis or scattering · ontario.ca: what do when someone dies · thebao.ca: welcome to the bereavement authority of ontarios faq for consumers