Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
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Funeral homes in Canada are bought by large companies such as Service Corporation International (Dignity Memorial), Arbor Memorial and Park Lawn, by nearby independents, by licensed funeral directors who want to own, and by family or staff. Most homes are still independent, and Ontario’s count of full-service funeral establishments fell from 575 to 552 between 2020/21 and 2024/25.
This guide is for Ontario funeral home owners who want to know who might actually buy their business, and what each kind of buyer means for price, staff, families and the name over the door. You will get the main buyer groups in Canada, what the public record shows about each, and the questions I would ask any buyer before you sign in 2027.
Who buys funeral homes in Canada?
In my experience there are four main kinds of buyer for an Ontario funeral home:
- Large funeral companies. National or international groups that own many funeral homes, cemeteries and crematoria. People often call them consolidators.
- Nearby independent funeral homes. A family-owned home in the same region that wants more volume or a second location.
- Licensed funeral directors who want to own. Often a senior employee or a director from another home, usually buying with a bank loan and some seller financing.
- Family and staff. An internal succession, which I cover in a separate guide in this series.
Real estate investors also buy funeral home buildings, but they usually want the property, not the business. That is a different deal and I treat it separately.
The market is still mostly independent. Park Lawn’s January 2022 investor presentation put the share of funeral homes in the US and Canada that are independently owned and operated at roughly 90%, citing industry sources. I could not find a published Ontario-only figure.
How many funeral homes are there in Ontario, and is the number falling?
The Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) licenses every funeral establishment and transfer service in the province. Its annual reports show a slow drop in full-service funeral establishments and a rise in transfer services, which are lower-cost operations that handle transport and simple dispositions.
| Licence class | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral Establishment Operator, Class 1 | 575 | 572 | 559 | 557 | 552 |
| Transfer Service Operator, Class 1 | 51 | 67 | 65 | 68 | 73 |
| Funeral Director, Class 1 (personal licence) | 2,531 | 2,524 | 2,465 | 2,471 | 2,469 |
| Funeral Preplanner (personal licence) | 362 | 380 | 380 | 412 | 423 |
Source: Bereavement Authority of Ontario, Annual Report April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, operator and personal licensing statistics.
The BAO itself says the small decline in funeral establishments reflects businesses consolidating their funeral operations. In 2024/25 it newly issued 22 funeral establishment and transfer service operator licences, a figure that includes asset and share purchases of existing businesses as well as new ones.
Which large companies own funeral homes in Ontario?
I only name companies where a filing or a reputable report confirms they own or buy funeral homes here.
- Service Corporation International (SCI). The US company behind the Dignity Memorial brand. Its 2025 annual report lists 45 funeral service locations in Ontario out of 1,485 across North America, and says Canada makes up about 5% of its revenue.
- Arbor Memorial. A privately owned, Toronto-based company. The Globe and Mail reported in January 2022 that Arbor and Dignity Memorial each own dozens of funeral homes across Canada.
- Park Lawn. Toronto-based, with operations in two Canadian provinces and 17 US states. It went private in August 2024, bought by an affiliate of Homesteaders Life Company and Birch Hill Equity Partners for $26.50 a share. In 2023 it bought Forrest & Taylor Funeral Home in Sutton, Ontario, a business dating to the late 1880s.
The Globe also reported that three of Kingston’s five funeral homes had been bought by a large Toronto company, and that some buyers were interested in downtown funeral home properties for redevelopment rather than for the funeral business.
Curious where your home might land with different buyers? Try the estimator below for a private range.
What do consolidators look for, and what do they pay?
Large buyers rarely publish prices for single homes. When Park Lawn bought Forrest & Taylor, it said the home did about 158 calls a year and would add about $338,647 of adjusted EBITDA, and that the price was within its stated target multiple range, without giving the range. For a large 2018 US platform deal of 21 funeral homes, 9 cemeteries and 5 crematoria, Park Lawn did disclose the math: about US$123 million, which it said was roughly 9.8 times expected EBITDA after planned savings.
From their filings and releases, consolidators tend to look for:
- steady or growing call volume in a market with good demographics;
- a respected local name and strong reputation;
- a manager or funeral director who will stay;
- combination sites. SCI’s annual report says funeral home and cemetery combination facilities usually have higher gross margins than separate operations;
- room to add services such as cremation gardens, receptions or event space.
They also tend to tie the former owner in. Carriage Services, a US company, reports that its non-compete and consulting agreements with former owners generally run from one to ten years.
Do independent funeral homes buy other funeral homes?
Yes, and they are often the most natural buyer. A nearby independent already knows the community, can share staff, vehicles and a preparation room, and may keep your name. In Cornwall, Wilson Funeral Home bought Boulerice Funeral Home in 2015 after the Boulerice family’s operator retired. Wilson said the deal secured five jobs and that it would keep the Boulerice name.
An independent buyer will look closely at things a large company may take for granted: whether your preparation room can handle their volume too, whether your vehicles and garage fit their routine, and whether your staff will work under a new owner who lives in the same town. Have clear answers ready, because a local buyer often decides on trust as much as on numbers.
The rise in transfer services in the BAO table also matters. Some buyers want a full-service home precisely because they already run a lower-cost transfer or cremation service and want a chapel and a known name.
Can someone who is not a funeral director buy my funeral home?
Yes, but they need a licensed funeral director to run it. The BAO’s licence application asks the buyer to name the person in charge of day-to-day operations and give that person’s licence number. It also asks whether the buyer already owns or operates other licensed bereavement businesses, and it requires police record checks for officers, directors and shareholders, plus details of debt financing.
So an investor or a family office can own a funeral home in Ontario, but the deal only works with the right licensed manager in place. The full buyer-side licensing steps are in my guide to buying a funeral home in Ontario.
Selling to a corporation or to an independent: what changes for me?
Every deal is different, but these are the trade-offs I walk owners through.
| Question | Large company | Independent or licensed director |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Can be higher for homes that fit their network | Often limited by what a lender will finance |
| Cash at closing | Usually more cash, often with a non-compete and consulting deal | More likely to need a vendor note or earn-out |
| Your role after | Often a set transition period, one to ten years in Carriage’s US agreements | Negotiated, sometimes informal |
| Name and staff | Often keep the local name; systems and pricing change | More likely to keep local habits and staff roles |
| Speed and certainty | Experienced deal teams; formal diligence | Depends on the buyer’s financing and licence |
Source: Carriage Services Form 10-K for 2025; Service Corporation International Form 10-K for 2025; my own experience of how these deals are usually structured, which will vary.
Do not assume the biggest company pays the most. A neighbouring independent that can share a preparation room and staff may value your calls more than a national group does. The way to find out is a confidential process that reaches all the realistic buyer types at the same time, so offers can be compared on cash at closing, your role, the name and the people, not only the headline number.
What should I ask a buyer before I sign?
- How will you pay: cash at closing, vendor note, earn-out or a mix?
- Who will be the licensed person in charge, and is your BAO application ready?
- Will you keep the name, and for how long, in writing?
- Which staff will you keep, and on what terms? Ask your lawyer how their years of service carry over.
- How will you handle families who prepaid, and what will the letter to them say?
- Do you want the building, a lease, or an option to buy later?
Some buyers want the land more than the business. If a buyer’s offer depends heavily on the building, ask directly what happens to the funeral home after closing. If they plan to close it and redevelop, you may be better off selling the business and the property separately, and the families you serve deserve to know. Your lawyer should check zoning and any conditions before you accept.
For how the deal structure affects tax and liabilities, see asset sale versus share sale. If confidentiality worries you, my guide to selling a business quietly applies here too.
What to do next
- Decide which outcome matters most to you: price, cash at closing, your staff, the name or a smooth exit.
- Make a private list of realistic buyers in each group, including nearby independents.
- Prepare a blind one-page summary and a confidentiality agreement before you speak to anyone.
- Get three years of clean financials and a reconciled prepaid list ready.
- Book a confidential call with me to plan the approach and the order in which buyers are contacted.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
Who buys funeral homes in Ontario?
In Canada, funeral homes are bought by large funeral companies such as Service Corporation International (Dignity Memorial), Arbor Memorial and Park Lawn, by nearby independent funeral homes, by licensed funeral directors who want to own, and by family or staff through succession. Real estate investors sometimes buy the building only. Most Canadian funeral homes are still independently owned.
What are funeral home consolidators in Canada?
Funeral home consolidators are companies that buy and run many funeral homes, cemeteries and crematoria. In Ontario, Service Corporation International listed 45 funeral service locations in its 2025 annual report, Arbor Memorial is a private Toronto-based owner of dozens of Canadian funeral homes, and Park Lawn, also Toronto-based, went private in August 2024.
Should I sell my funeral home to a corporation?
It depends on your goals. A large funeral company may pay more cash at closing for a home that fits its network, but it usually asks for a non-compete and a transition period and will change systems. An independent buyer may keep more local habits but rely on bank financing. In Ontario, compare offers on cash, your role, staff and the name.
How many funeral homes are there in Ontario?
The Bereavement Authority of Ontario reported 552 Class 1 funeral establishment operators in 2024/25, down from 575 in 2020/21, plus 6 Class 2 establishments. Transfer service operators rose over the same years. The BAO says the small decline reflects businesses consolidating their funeral operations.
Do corporations keep the funeral home’s name after buying it?
Often, yes, because the local name carries the trust families place in the home, but it is not guaranteed. If keeping your name matters, write it into the purchase agreement, including how long and where it will be used. In Ontario examples such as Wilson Funeral Home buying Boulerice in Cornwall in 2015, the buyer announced it would keep the name.
Can an investor buy a funeral home in Ontario?
Yes. An investor or company can own an Ontario funeral home, but the BAO licence application must name a licensed person in charge of day-to-day operations. The BAO also requires police record checks for officers, directors and shareholders, details of debt financing, and disclosure of other bereavement businesses the buyer owns.
What do funeral home buyers pay per call?
Buyers rarely publish it. When Park Lawn bought Forrest & Taylor in Sutton, Ontario in 2023, it disclosed about 158 calls a year and about $338,647 of adjusted EBITDA, but not the price. That is roughly $2,100 of EBITDA per call. Value depends on earnings, not call count alone, so compare offers on adjusted earnings.
Do consolidators make the former owner stay on?
Often they ask the former owner to sign a non-compete and a consulting or employment agreement. Carriage Services, a US funeral company, reports that its agreements with former owners generally run from one to ten years, with payments made over the term. In Ontario, negotiate the length, your duties and the pay before you sign.
Is the funeral home industry in Ontario consolidating?
Slowly, yes. The Bereavement Authority of Ontario says the number of funeral establishments continues to decline marginally as businesses consolidate, while transfer services grow. Licensed transfer services rose from 51 to 73 Class 1 operators over the same period. Independents remain active buyers in Ontario too, often buying a neighbouring home.
Sources
- Bereavement Authority of Ontario: Annual Report 2024–2025
- Bereavement Authority of Ontario: Business Licence Application, Funeral Establishment and Transfer Service (May 2025)
- Service Corporation International Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (SEC)
- Carriage Services Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (SEC)
- Park Lawn Corporation: Investor Presentation, January 2022
- Park Lawn announces completion of $1.2 billion going-private transaction (Bennett Jones, Aug 2024)
- The Globe and Mail, Report on Business, 25 January 2022 (reprinted by James Reid Funeral Home)
- Choose Cornwall: Wilson acquires Boulerice Funeral Home (December 2015)
Related reading
- Funeral Home for Sale in Ontario? How Owners Sell, Step by Step
- How Much Is a Funeral Home Worth in Ontario? Valuation Explained (2027)
- Funeral Home Succession Planning in Ontario: Selling to Family, Staff or an Outside Buyer
- Selling a Funeral Home With the Building: Real Estate vs Business in Ontario
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.