Newfoundland and Labrador doubles funeral benefits after unclaimed bodies pile up

The Newfoundland and Labrador authorities has much than doubled nan financial assistance it offers low-income residents who request to salary for a funeral aliases a cremation.

The move comes aft aggravated scrutiny arsenic nan number of unclaimed bodies successful freezers astatine nan province’s largest infirmary much than doubled betwixt November 2021 and January of this year.

The state announced Monday it will now connection up to $5,000 for a funeral, and up to $1,500 for further expenses.

It says it will besides screen nan aerial proscription costs to repatriate remains to and from distant coastal communities.

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Emails obtained by nan provincial New Democrat Party show wellness officials discussed connected Jan. 9 their efforts to find “stacking” refrigeration units arsenic 27 unclaimed bodies laic astatine nan Health Sciences Centre successful St. John’s, N.L.

John Anderson, head astatine Caul’s Funeral Home successful St. John’s, says he believes nan bodies apt beryllium to group whose low-income loved ones couldn’t get capable authorities thief to salary for a funeral.