Funeral and Burial Program

Eligibility

Eligibility for the program is established through military service and financial criteria.
SERVICE CRITERIA
A veteran is defined as any former member of the Canadian Armed Forces who successfully underwent basic training and was honourably discharged.
Service eligibility for the Funeral and Burial Program extends to:
- Canadian Armed Forces Veterans or any predecessor Naval, Army or Air Forces of Canada or Newfoundland
- Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans of the Second World War or the Korean War
- Allied Veterans who served with the Allied Forces during the Second World War or the Korean War

FINANCIAL CRITERIA AND “MATTER OF RIGHT"
Once the Veteran has met the service-related criteria, eligibility for funeral and burial benefits is established either through financial means testing to determine financial need or as a matter of right. Matter-of-right refers to a situation where a VAC medical authority determines that the cause of death is due to service, meaning a condition for which Veterans Affairs Canada provided a disability benefit.

Fees

Assistance toward funeral and burial expenses is calculated in accordance with the amounts determined in the Veterans Burial Regulations. The current maximum rate payable toward funeral home costs such as professional services, casket or urn is $7376 + tax. Over and above this amount, the cost of a plot, cemetery charges for opening and closing, the cost of cremation and other related costs may also be covered (maximums apply).