Honouring life, protecting the Earth
By Sisley Comish, guest blogger
A new by-law recently approved by the Sault Ste. Marie City Council is set to create a site for natural burials at New Greenwood Cemetery on Fourth Line East. As of November 3, Council agreed to changes that would allow for a natural burial site at the cemetery, as well as introduced restrictions and regulations for the new site. The by-law still requires final approval (expected in spring 2026); however, the progress in modifying the current laws is a great step towards more eco-friendly options for burials.
Expanding Burial Choices in Our Community
The proposed changes would give residents more sustainable and cost-effective options when it comes to their end-of-life plans. The traditional methods of interment such as fancy casket burials or cremation can have negative environmental impacts, but with approval of the by-law, residents can re-evaluate their plans to include environmentally friendly options. Natural burials also typically prohibit embalming and concrete burial vaults and require biodegradable caskets, reducing overall expenses and easing financial strain for families.
We recommend pre-planning your funeral to ensure your wishes around natural burial are met. It may be hard for family members to make decisions that are natural but may seem cheap—like a simple wood casket. As mentioned by the Natural Burials Association….
Rather than manicured lawns with rows of tombstones, imagine a meadow or woodland, which is restored and protected in its natural ecosystem.”
What the By-Law Includes
In addition to reserving a portion of the cemetery for natural burials, the by-law revises existing cemetery regulations and introduces a few restrictions. It reduces the number of permitted full-body cremation interments per plot from six to four and establishes new policies specific to natural burials. As this would be a first site of its type in Sault Ste. Marie, the city has currently mapped space for 64 graves; however, they hope to expand westward in the future.
Alongside the limitations to space in New Greenwood Cemetery, there are restrictions around the natural burial option itself, such as not being able to choose or reserve specific gravesites or ensure you can be buried next to your spouse or partner.
How Natural Burial Works
Natural burials are considered a more sustainable alternative to traditional burial and cremation practices. Bodies are wrapped in biodegradable materials, and placed in biodegradable caskets, with the graves marked by items such as native plants or stones instead of tombstones.
Unlike cremation, which can be harmful to the environment by releasing carbon dioxide and other pollutants, natural burials have a smaller impact.
The natural burial sites also require less upkeep than typical cemeteries, which reduces use water for the grass and limits the portion of land used. The area is protected by its natural ecosystem, with no water or electric lines needed, and lands can look like woodlands, covered with native plants and flowers as alternatives to tombstones.
What Happens Next
The by-law will come into effect once approved by the Bereavement Authority of Ontario under the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act. Though the by-law is currently under review for approval, we encourage you to show support for the new site and for potential expansion and creation of new natural burial sites by contacting your ward councillors.
You can also stay up-to-date with any changes to the by-law by following Clean North on Facebook/Instagram or checking in with your ward councillors.
With the potential for approval, make sure to consider natural burials in your end-of-life plan. Local funeral homes are now fully aware of natural burial options so your questions will not come as a surprise to them.
A final note…
We at Clean North are deeply grateful to St. Joseph Island resident Sheila Campbell, who brought the idea of fostering natural burial in Sault Ste. Marie/Algoma to us and provided leadership in championing a natural burial movement in our area.
We also thank the City of Sault Ste. Marie for being so supportive and moving forward with by-law changes.
And finally, we thank local funeral homes for their help in ensuring that people in our area have information about and access to natural burial options.
Questions?
Email us at info@cleannorth.org.
