Nova Scotia officials are investigating after the new owners of a funeral home in the Annapolis Valley discovered cremated remains of a 'significant number' of people in storage. Several families were recently informed that ashes belonging to their deceased loved ones had been found. Kristina Sweeney, whose mother Elizabeth Pelton died in 2023, was shocked to learn that her mother's remains had been found in storage, despite having buried them in 2024. Similarly, Michelle Carey and her sister Amanda Sabean were told that the cremated remains of their father, Hendrik (Hank) Sabean, who died in 2018, had been discovered in storage. The new owners of Serenity Funeral Home, East Coast Memorial, discovered the remains while taking possession of the business. Andrew George, owner of East Coast Memorial, stated that the remains had been left in storage for many years and that they are working to contact families to return the remains or arrange for proper burial. The province and the Nova Scotia regulator of funeral directors are investigating the matter. The former owner of Serenity Funeral Home, Tony Facey, confirmed that there was a 'whole stack' of unclaimed remains dating back up to 25 years. Funeral Service Association of Nova Scotia president Kollin Weatherbee noted that it is unusual for a funeral home to hold ashes for decades, as they typically only hold them for a matter of weeks. Provincial inspectors visited the crematorium on September 10 to investigate. This incident follows a 2018 case where Serenity Funeral Home mixed up the bodies of two women, leading to a change in legislation in 2025. The new owner, East Coast Memorial, is planning community burial ceremonies for remains that cannot be reunited with families. Families expressed shock and distress over the situation, feeling that their loved ones' dignity had been violated. The province has confirmed that Serenity Funeral Home was routinely inspected in 2022, with some non-compliant administrative matters resolved. Following the sale to East Coast Memorial, Serenity is no longer licensed to operate in Nova Scotia.

Twyla Shannahan, an Alberta widow, is demanding accountability and a policy review after Air Canada misplaced her late husband’s cremated remains during a flight from Edmonton to St. John’s, Newfoundland. The incident occurred when the airline required her to place the ashes in a checked bag despite her efforts to carry them on board as per regulations. Upon arrival, Shannahan discovered her bag was missing, and the remains were temporarily lost before being recovered. She criticized Air Canada for treating the ashes as mere luggage and called for systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) stated that while cremated remains are generally allowed in carry-on bags, dense materials may trigger security alerts requiring checked transport. Shannahan, who successfully scattered her husband’s ashes in the ocean, remains dissatisfied with the airline’s response and seeks meaningful compensation and policy reforms to protect grieving families from such mishaps.

scattering cremated remains is not a good idea and this is why