The Centre for Natural Burial

By MARY GOLEM, Sun Times

An official plan amendment and rezoning would be required before plans for Canada’s first natural burial site can proceed.

Mike Salisbury, president of the Natural Burial Co-operative, appeared before Arran-Elderslie council Monday to outline the co-op’s plans for a 96-acre parcel of land on Bruce Road 11 adjacent to Paisley.

“This is our first opportunity to present the concept to the public for feedback,” Salisbury said. Only three members of the public were at the meeting.

“Natural burial is a little quirky, and a little different,” Salisbury said, “but it is a true reflection of what will be happening in the future.”

A natural burial is a more environmentally friendly alternative to existing funeral practices. The body is prepared without chemical preservatives and is buried in a simple shroud or biodegradable casket that could be made from locally harvested wood, cardboard, wicker or even recycled paper, Salisbury explained.

The cemetery uses natural grave markers, such as trees and shrubs, thus establishing a living memorial that helps form a wildlife preserve.

The natural burial movement started in the United Kingdom in 1995. There are now more than 200 natural burial grounds in the UK which account more than 15 per cent of all burials, Salisbury said. There are sites in the United States, but Paisley would be the first in Canada.

Ken Coe has owned the property, next to the Paisley Brick and Tile Co. Ltd., since 1992. Some 30,000 trees have been planted on the property.

“A natural burial site would be a vehicle for pay for all of the landscape restoration and once it becomes a burial site, it’s protected through the province’s Cemeteries Act and therefore would remain that way.”

While the property is identified as agricultural in the Bruce County official plan, the land available for farming is less than 50 per cent due to forest cover, steep slopes and the three tributaries bisecting the site. Salisbury said a natural burial ground on the property “would create a long-term natural asset for the area, not to mention the notoriety of being the first such site developed in Canada.”

He told council some 125 people have purchased memberships in the co-operative and more than 3,000 people from around the world have registered to be kept informed of the group’s progress.

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Tara ward Coun. Paul Eagleson, who is a funeral director, called the concept “very interesting” but cautioned council on making too many comments.

“All of this has to go through the process . . . and we still have to have an open meeting to allow the public to comment on the zoning change, which comes after the official plan amendment. It may not even come back here, if the official plan amendment is not approved.”

Eagleson also questioned costs, what plans have been made for winter burials of unembalmed bodies and soil sample tests.

“Those are all issues we are looking into,” Salisbury said. The group is “proceeding with caution. We’re taking things one step at a time.”

Mayor Ron Oswald said he had a ratepayer call him after reading an article in The Sun Times last week.

“There is some interest,” he said.