Funeral and celebration of life celebrants in Peterborough

Where can you hold a celebration of life in Peterborough?

The City of Peterborough rents rooms, halls and park pavilions for private gatherings, and celebrations of life are among the events it lists. For any event where only invited guests attend, indoors or outdoors, you start with the City's Private Event Request Form. A completed form is not yet a booking: the Facility Booking Team confirms separately (facilitybooking@peterborough.ca, 705-742-0050 ext. 2577). Insurance is mandatory for every rental.

Two City spaces suit a gathering of family and friends. The banquet room at the McDonnel Street Community Centre, 577 McDonnel Street, seats up to 120 people and costs $83.62 an hour in 2026, HST included. Admiralty Hall, in Peterborough Naval Memorial Park at 24 Whitlaw Street, is a bright room on the waterfront for up to 100 people, at $69.21 an hour, HST included; its parking lot is across a walking bridge. Mandatory staffing charges may be added at both.

Can you gather in a Peterborough park?

Yes. A small private gathering of up to 20 people in a neighbourhood park doesn't need a permit, as long as it involves none of the activities the City considers higher risk, such as a barbecue, alcohol or a tent larger than 10 x 10. The space stays open to other park users. For a larger group, or any of those activities, submit the Private Event Request Form to get a permit.

The City also rents three covered pavilions, for a minimum of 3 hours:

For up to 100 people, a pavilion costs $21.19 an hour in 2026, HST included.

Can you scatter ashes in Peterborough?

Ontario allows scattering on unoccupied Crown land, including land covered by water, where no sign prohibits it, and on private land with the owner's consent. For municipal land, including City parks, the Province asks you to check the municipality's rules first, so contact the City before planning a scattering in a park. If you're not sure whether a place is Crown land, the Bereavement Authority of Ontario refers families to the Province's Crown land information.

Before any burial or cremation, the death must be registered with the municipal clerk's office, usually in the municipality where it happened. The funeral director and a family member complete the statement of death together, and the funeral director submits it. A burial permit can only be issued once the death is registered.

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 Peterborough, 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 Peterborough and the Province of Ontario. Rules and fees can change: confirm with the City before you plan.

Sources: peterborough.ca: facility booking and permitting · peterborough.ca: multipurpose rooms and halls · peterborough.ca: parks and pavilions · 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