The City of Delta has earmarked up to $225,000 to cover the cost of upgrades to the foreshore at Fraser Viewpoint, where there is currently a reflective garden and seating area.
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B.C. will soon install a dedicated site where family members can spread the ashes of their loved ones along the Fraser River.
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A boardwalk will be constructed at Delta’s Fraser Viewpoint public park on Tilbury Island to allow people better access to the water to disperse cremated remains.
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The area will also include a gathering space to allow for culturally appropriate ceremonies and last rites “in a respectful, accessible and publicly supported setting,” the B.C. government said in a news release on Thursday.
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“For years, people south of the Fraser, including many members of the South Asian community, have had to travel abroad or transport a loved one’s ashes overseas to carry out important funeral rites,” Attorney General Niki Sharma said in the statement. “This much-needed culturally respectful space will provide families with a meaningful place close to home where they can gather, reflect and honour their loved ones according to their traditions.”
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The City of Delta has earmarked up to $225,000 to cover the cost of the boardwalk and other upgrades to the foreshore at Fraser Viewpoint, where there is currently a reflective garden and seating area. The province and the city jointly identified the park as a suitable location, with the province granting the necessary tenure to allow for the city to install improvements to the area.
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The only timeline given for the construction of the boardwalk is that it would be “in the coming months,” according to a city of Delta spokesperson. However, the park is “currently open to the public to scatter ashes.”
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The site in Delta is believed to be the first dedicated spot for ash dispersal on B.C. waterways, though the province has indicated they’re willing to collaborate with other municipalities to approve similar sites in other communities along the Fraser River.
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Ranjit Hayer, president of the Khalsa Diwan Society, said the project “is of major significance for all British Columbians, and especially the broader South Asian community.”
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“People from all faiths will now have a dedicated gathering space to respectfully perform final rites for their loved one. I would like to thank Mayor (George) Harvie and Attorney General Sharma on their commitment in bringing this project to life.”
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By law, if an individual leaves behind written wishes for how they would like their ashes to be spread, that request is binding.
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“For years, families in our community have had to fly their loved ones’ ashes overseas just to carry out proper last rites,” said Ravi Kahlon, MLA for Delta North. “The new dedicated ash-dispersal site in Delta means they can honour their traditions here, at home, without hiding it or working around the rules. This is an important example of how communities can create inclusive public spaces that respect cultural and faith traditions.”
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In B.C., businesses relating to funeral and end-of-life services are regulated by the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act under Consumer Protection B.C. to protect families who are grieving. While the Act doesn’t restrict where ashes can be scattered, provincial or local bylaws may offer some guidance.
