Funeral and celebration of life celebrants in Waterloo

What do Waterloo's municipal cemeteries offer?

The City of Waterloo runs two cemeteries: Parkview Cemetery, at 335 University Avenue East, and Mount Hope Cemetery, at 83 Roger Street. Mount Hope, established in 1865 on the Kitchener border, is one of the city's oldest burial grounds, and its remaining spaces are limited. Parkview, created in 1966, is a 37-acre site with gardens and evergreen hedges, surrounded by parks and trails. It has a chapel, and a crematorium managed by Southwest Crematoriums. Its green burial section sits in a native wildflower meadow, where no individual memorials are permitted.

The chapel can host a service: the 2026 price list shows $350 an hour, one-hour minimum, Monday to Saturday until 3 p.m. After 3 p.m., the chapel costs $600 more; so does a burial after 3 p.m., and a burial on a Sunday or holiday adds $1,000. Check these charges before you set the time.

The cemetery office at Parkview is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (519-725-9280, parkview@waterloo.ca). If someone has just died, the City asks families to contact a funeral service operator first; the funeral director then contacts the cemetery if needed.

Can you scatter ashes in Waterloo?

Yes. Under Ontario rules, ashes may be scattered on unoccupied Crown land, including land covered by water, where no signs prohibit it, and on private land with the owner's consent; on municipally owned land, contact the municipality to check for by-laws first. At Parkview, the City has several scattering gardens, planted areas where staff place the ashes into the earth with the family. A scattering cannot be undone. The 2026 price list shows $600 for the scattering right and $325 for the scattering service.

Where can you gather in Waterloo for a celebration of life?

Waterloo Park has several picnic areas that can be booked, including the covered Hilltop Picnic Shelter, for up to 100 people, and two gazebos for up to 30 each. Bookings run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and must be made at least five days ahead, online or through the Facility Allocation and Bookings team (519-884-5363, fab@waterloo.ca). The shelter costs $116.50 and each gazebo $77.50, before HST and insurance. Indoors, the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex has four meeting rooms with a capacity of 25 to 40 people, booked through the same team.

How can you create a lasting memorial in Waterloo?

The City of Waterloo does not offer a memorial tree program of its own; it refers families to Parkview, which offers memorial benches, trees and plaques. At Parkview, the 2026 price list shows $4,680 for a bench with a bronze plaque and $2,400 for a tree with a plaque, each for an initial 20-year term.

When is a celebrant a good fit?

A celebrant is a good fit when you want a ceremony built around the person, wherever it takes place. A celebrant from our local network comes to the place you choose in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo and the Province of Ontario. Rules and fees can change: confirm with the City before you plan.

Sources: waterloo.ca: contact us or visit our cemetery locations · waterloo.ca: history of parkview and mount hope cemeteries · waterloo.ca: cremation lots · waterloo.ca: green burials · waterloo.ca: create a lasting memorial · media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com: cemetery price list.pdf · waterloo.ca: request a new city tree · waterloo.ca: book a picnic area in waterloo park · waterloo.ca: plan an event · ontario.ca: arrange funeral burial cremation alkaline hydrolysis or scattering