Funeral and celebration of life celebrants in Kawartha Lakes

What do Kawartha Lakes' municipal cemeteries offer?

The City of Kawartha Lakes operates 17 active municipal cemeteries, in communities such as Argyle, Coboconk, Kinmount, Kirkfield, Little Britain, Norland and Woodville. To arrange a burial or buy a plot, call the Cemetery Administration Office at 705-324-9411 ext. 3508 or write to cemeteryadmin@kawarthalakes.ca.

In 2026, a cremation lot (flat marker only) costs $841 and a two-urn columbarium niche $2,147, plus HST; niches are sold at some cemeteries only. There are no burials on Sundays or statutory holidays, and surcharges apply on Saturdays and for winter burials between December 1 and March 31. In summer, several municipal cemeteries hold an outdoor Decoration Day service on a Sunday afternoon.

Funeral and cremation centres register deaths with the City Clerk's office at City Hall, 26 Francis Street in Lindsay, or at any Municipal Service Centre.

Can you scatter ashes in Kawartha Lakes?

Not in a municipal cemetery for now: the City says none of its cemeteries currently offers scattering, though some private cemeteries in Kawartha Lakes do. Elsewhere, Ontario allows scattering on unoccupied Crown land, including land covered by water, where no sign prohibits it, and on private land, such as a family cottage, with the owner's consent. For municipal land such as a City park, the Province asks you to check with the municipality first.

Where can you hold a celebration of life in Kawartha Lakes?

The City rents community halls across its towns and villages. Among those booked through its Facility Booking Office are the Victoria Park Armoury, 210 Kent Street West in Lindsay (up to 650 people), the Fenelon Falls Community Centre, 27 Veterans Way (up to 473 people) and the Bobcaygeon/Verulam Community Centre, 51 Mansfield Street (up to 200, closed to rentals from September through March). Some rural halls are booked through volunteer boards instead.

Send the Facility Booking Request Form, and the office confirms within two business days (facilitybooking@kawarthalakes.ca, 705-324-9411 ext. 1226). Many parks also have picnic shelters to rent, with rates based on the size and nature of your event.

How can you remember someone in Kawartha Lakes?

The City's Sponsorship and Dedication Program offers memorial benches and trees in local parks and trails, each with a personalized plaque or marker, installation and maintenance, and a charitable donation receipt. You can also adopt a fruit tree, whose harvest goes to local food banks, or plant a lilac in the Lilac Dedication Garden at Logie Park in Lindsay, with intake in spring and fall. For costs and a brochure, write to communitydevelopment@kawarthalakes.ca.

When is a celebrant a good fit?

When you want a ceremony that feels like the person, wherever it takes place. A celebrant from our local network comes to the place you choose in Kawartha Lakes, whether a funeral home, cemetery, park, hall or home, and writes the ceremony around the person's life, religious or not. With Celebrance, the price is shown upfront, all-in, and if the celebrant becomes unavailable, we find a replacement.

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

Sources: kawarthalakes.ca: cemeteries · kawarthalakes.ca: applications licences and permits · kawarthalakes.ca: community hall rentals · kawarthalakes.ca: park and picnic shelter rentals · kawarthalakes.ca: sponsorship and dedications · ontario.ca: arrange funeral burial cremation alkaline hydrolysis or scattering