Caring, personal service when you need it most: This Trail funeral home provides burial, cremation and other services

In life’s most challenging moments, Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services is there to provide support and comfort. For our compassionate, professional directors and staff, your well-being is of paramount importance. We are here to help you every step of the way.

As one of only ten funeral homes in Canada that is certified by the Green Burial Council of North America, we are dedicated to the protection of our planet and are constantly working to improve our sustainability and ecological footprint. As such, we offer a range of green burial services, including urns and caskets made of biodegradable materials and alliances with green-certified cemeteries across the country.

We also provide traditional burial, cremation and funeral planning services that will honour your spiritual and cultural needs. We are proud to provide you with a unique, personal approach to funeral and cremation services that focuses on family care.

We offer in-home visits and funeral planning—give us a call

We pride ourselves on making the experience of arranging a funeral as comfortable as possible by offering in-home visits in a familiar, stress-free environment. Give our office a call at 250-368-8080.

Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services five-star reviews

“As a minister, I find Alternatives an amazing organization to work with. They attend to all the details and provide such beautiful support for the family. Their welcoming and hosting of all the guests creates a beautiful and sacred environment to celebrate the life of a loved one.” ~ Sophia

“Most amazing help and support you could ask for in such a difficult time.” ~ Claire

“These people were amazing. I can't say enough good things about the excellent service and treatment that I received here.” ~ John

What kind of services are provided at this Trail funeral home?

Losing a loved one is a challenging time for all. At Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services in Trail, it’s our job to make the process as easy and streamlined as possible. Our experienced and compassionate funeral directors will help the family take care of the necessities, such as completing legal paperwork and transportation. In close consultation with the family, our directors will thoughtfully arrange funeral services that best honour your loved one.

Are there alternatives to the traditional funeral or celebration to honour my loved one?

Some families without religious or spiritual affiliations would prefer honouring their loved one in a unique and memorable way that truly reflects who the deceased was. At Alternative Funeral & Cremation Services, we have created a new service called the “Alternatives Event’.”

Our Licensed Funeral Directors and Event Planners will design and present a customized theme in consultation with the family. The content of the event is completely up to you, and you are free to make it as special and distinctive as possible, including location or facility. As an example, our staff organized an Alternative Event in honour of a deceased pilot. The event was held at a local airport hangar—along with a catered BBQ, the event featured interactive activities to raise money for the deceased’s favourite charity and an aircraft fly-by as a final send-off tribute.

This Trail funeral home offers online webcasts for family members unable to attend a service in person

Due to circumstances, we know it’s not always possible for people to come together when a death occurs. At Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services we understand how important it is to allow family members and friends to grieve together, and that’s why we’ve made online funeral webcasts available. People can participate in the service or event even if they aren’t able to physically attend. No longer will families miss their loved ones’ funerals because of the high cost of travel, long distance, poor health or other personal or work constraints.

Do you provide support and resources for clients who may be struggling through their bereavement period?

Yes, absolutely. Our website provides information and links about grief and healing. If a service is beyond our scope, we will help you find the professional who can assist.

For children, we are able to provide a complimentary copy of the Sesame Street “When Families Grieve” kit. This includes a DVD, a guide for parents and caregivers, plus a children’s storybook. Please speak with one of our Licensed Funeral Directors to request your personal copy of the grief kit.

Environmentally-friendly green burials of interest? This Trail funeral home explains your options

Green burial is sustainable death care—it minimizes the environmental impact on Mother Earth by embracing the use of biodegradable materials, reducing carbon emissions and forming alliances with green-certified cemeteries.

Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services is proud to be one of only 10 funeral homes in Canada that are 3-leaf rated by the Green Burial Council of North America. This means we offer services and products that not only create a meaningful funeral or cremation experience, but also take our planet into account.

For cremations, we carry a line of eco-friendly and biodegradable cremation urns and scattering tubes. Our bamboo, willow and poplar caskets are suitable for green burials.

One of our professional Funeral Directors would be happy to discuss your options for green burial.

How much does a funeral cost?

The cost of a funeral ultimately depends on the final wishes of the family. Some expenses are basic to every funeral, such as facility fees and required documentation like a death certificate. The amount that is spent on a funeral should always be balanced by what you or the estate can afford. At Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services, one of our Licensed Funeral Directors would be happy to provide an itemized quote, based on the type of service you choose.

Why should I pre-plan my funeral? Answers from this Trail funeral home

We all have preferences as to how we would like our remains dealt with after our death. Preplanning your funeral gives your family peace-of-mind and relieves them of the burden of having to make difficult decisions at an emotional time.

At Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services, we will come to your home and discuss your final wishes with you in a comfortable, stress-free environment, allowing you to make confident decisions as to what happens with your remains. Our Advance Planning representative will guide you through the planning process and explain each product and service that is available to you and the costs involved.

Can I write my own obituary if I pre-plan a funeral?

Absolutely. Writing an obituary is an important part of funeral planning and many people like to have a say in their own obituary. Here are some tips on writing a great obituary that will capture the essence of who you are:

Personal touches and anecdotes: We all want to be remembered. Including personal quirks, witty sayings and humour are excellent ways to convey the personality of the deceased.

Favourite hobbies and pastimes: Many people have things they love to do and are skilled at—it might be gardening, playing poker or making art. Whatever it is, an obituary is a good place to highlight the deceased person’s special interests and hobbies.

Consult with friends and family: Ask friends and family members about the deceased. What’s their favourite memories of that person? How would they describe them?

Biographical information: Include key facts and important dates, but don’t overdo it.

This Trail funeral home offers a range of memorial keepsakes to honour your loved one

Being able to remember your loved one in a meaningful way is important to many families. At Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services, we offer a range of wood, metal and stone urns, cremation jewelry, scattering tubes and remembrance diamonds.

How do I honour my loved one’s cremated remains?

How you choose to remember a loved one is intensely personal. At Alternative Funeral & Cremation Services, we offer several different products that you may find suitable. Please review what we can offer:

Scattering tubes: Available in a range of attractive patterns and styles, a scattering tube is generally made of sturdy cardboard and is designed especially for families who plan to scatter the ashes of a loved one.

Urns: We offer a range of wood, metal, stone and eco-friendly urns, tastefully designed and at every budget level.

Cremation jewelry: Designed to hold a small portion of your loved one’s cremated remains, our sterling silver jewelry offers a unique way to remember a special person.

Remembrance Diamonds: A Remembrance Diamond is created from a small portion of your loved one’s cremated remains. The creation of your Remembrance Diamond is a five-stage process that can take up to nine months to complete. Throughout this period, Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services will contact you regularly with updates to let you know how your diamond is progressing.

Am I able to purchase customized cremation urns at this Trail funeral home?

Yes. Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services offers a full range of cremation urns in different materials, including wood, stone, metal and environmentally-friendly green options. We also offer scattering tubes in several different styles. Many of our cremation urns feature stylized designs and carvings and can be customized.

Services and products offered by Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services:

Products offered:

• Caskets—for burial and cremation
• Biodegradable caskets
• Green caskets—willow, seagrass and bamboo
• Cloth-covered caskets
• Solid and veneer caskets
• Metal caskets
• Cardboard cremation casket
• Cremation urns—cultured marble and stone
• Biodegradable cremation urns
• Green caskets and urns—burial and cremations
• Keepsakes—pewter candle and scattering tubes

Services offered:

• Funeral services
• Burials
• Cremations
• Online webcasts
• Alternatives Event
• Basic Alternatives Service Package
• Pre-planning
• Arrangements can be made at your home and at your convenience
• Support and guidance throughout the entire process