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GBSC Application Form
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2025-09-08T10:11:03-07:00
GBSC Approved Provider Application
PART 1: Location
Name of Cemetery
Cemetery Address
Street Address
Address Line 2
City
Province
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Postal Code
Does the cemetery maintain any other digital / social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, etc.)?
Yes
No
Please provide URL’s / site addresses below:
Is the address above the location of the administrative office of the cemetery?
Yes
No
Please add Administration Office Address
Street Address
Address Line 2
City
Province
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Postal Code
PART 2 Ownership:
Please provide the name of the ‘legal’ owner of the cemetery? (municipality, corporation, religious/fraternal organization, individual, etc.)
Name of owner
First
Last
Address of owner
Street Address
Address Line 2
City
Province
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Postal Code
PART 3: Contact
PRIMARY CONTACT: (This should be the person who is completing and authorized to sign this application. This individual will be the main contact person for the GBSC.)
Primary Contact Name
First
Last
Primary Contact Title
Primary Mailing Address is:
Cemetery Address
Office Address
Owner Address
Secondary Contact:
(This can be an administrator or a grounds supervisor who, in the absence of the primary contact is authorized to speak for the cemetery and/or respond to contact form the GBSC. This should be an individual who is fully informed about cemetery operations and the provision of green burial services at the cemetery.)
Secondary Contact Name
First
Last
Secondary Contact Title
Mailing Address (check only one):
Cemetery Address
Office Address
Direct Email:
Daytime Phone:
PART 4: Essential Criteria
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA: The applicant acknowledges that each level of GBSC Approved Provider recognition commits the applicant to ensuring the following five (5) criteria are present in their green burial services. As you complete the application please refer to the complete GBSC Approved Provider Criteria & Glossary document for further clarification.
the BODY:
Remains for green burial will be in a natural state to permit natural, unimpeded decomposition. Arterial embalming, in any form, is not permitted. Medical implants may remain in place.
the CONTAINER:
Remains for body burial will be enclosed in a fully biodegradable shroud, casket, or other container. Ideally, the container will be made from locally sourced, sustainably produced materials that are free from non-organic glues and/or fittings.
the BURIAL:
Remains will be placed and buried directly into the earth. Use of any outer burial container, such as a rough-box, grave liner, or vault of any type is not permitted.
the MEMORIAL:
Memorials may be communal or individual and are minimally intrusive in the landscape. Ideally, they would be made of locally sourced materials, such as stone or wood.
the LAND:
The cemetery chooses sound ecological practices on the land, and acts as a resource for green burial education in the community.
PART 5: Green Burial Cemetery category sought
Which GBSC Green Burial Cemetery category are you applying for (check one)?
Category you are applying for:
(Required)
Category 1: Green Burial Cemetery
Category 2: Green Burial Conservation Cemetery
GBSC Category 1: GREEN BURIAL CEMETERY
Name of cemetery
Location of cemetery
The above-named cemetery hereby makes application to the Green Burial Society of Canada for recognition as a ‘GBSC Approved Provider’ Category 1: Green Burial Cemetery, and;
The above-named cemetery having a section within the Cemetery set aside exclusively for Green Burial shall, without reservation or obstruction, promote, offer and provide green burial services, and;
The above-named cemetery satisfying the 5 essential criteria of green burial shall also satisfy no less than eleven (11) of the following additional criteria (check all that apply / must be at least 11):
Check the appropriate boxes
Individual burials are opened at a depth of up to 1.2M (or less)
Memorials are made of locally sourced materials, such as stone or wood.
Cremated remains are buried directly in the earth, without an outer container.
Family/public participation in Green Burial ceremonies are encouraged, such as the infilling of graves if allowed. encouraged (including filling of grave, selecting plant materials for grave, planting, etc.)
Family/public participation in land and grave maintenance, such as selecting native plants for graves, planting native plants on graves, etc, when or where possible.
Seed or plant starts (not sod), and plants native to the area are to be used for grave restoration.
Supplemental watering is done only as needed to establish or to maintain plants during dry spells. Watering is done by hand rather than by an in-ground irrigation system.
Pesticides are not used anywhere within the green burial area.
Only organic fertilizers and soil amendments are used in the green burial area.
Replanting is based on an ecological restoration plan to return the land to the original natural habitat.
Electric or alternative fuel vehicles and/or tools are used in the cemetery.
The cemetery commits to ongoing, site-wide ecologically sound initiatives, such as recycling and composting.
The cemetery commits to supporting habitat restoration by planting and/or protecting native plants that contribute to habitat creation on-site and/or off-site, by supporting local habitat restoration projects.
The cemetery accurately reflects green burial principles and GBSC certification standards.
Where permitted by local regulations and/or supported by historic practice, grave re-use or time-limited grave leases are encouraged to achieve sustainable land use.
CATEGORY 1: DECLARATION & SIGNATURE
By my signature below I, on behalf of ‘the Cemetery’, make application for Green Burial Society of Canada (GBSC) ‘Green Burial Cemetery’ recognition and ‘the Cemetery’, its management, staff, agents and volunteers shall comply with and abide by the above set out criteria and the GBSC Statement of Ethical Practices. My signature of this document confirms that I am a signing officer (i.e. principal, signing manager, executive director, etc.) of ‘the Cemetery’ and as such I have the authority to make this application and bind ‘the Cemetery’ to the declarations and commitments made as may relate to this application and the GBSC.
Name of Signatory
First
Last
Signature
Signed on this date:
MM slash DD slash YYYY
One Time Application Fee
Category 1 (one-time) Application Fee: $150 CAD; Annual Certification Fee (2025) $300. All of your personal and contact information will be kept private and confidential and used by the GBSC only for the purposes of processing your application. Upon submission you will be prompted to pay
GBSC Category 2: GREEN BURIAL CONSERVATION CEMETERY
Name of cemetery
Location of cemetery
The above-named cemetery hereby makes application to the Green Burial Society of Canada for recognition as a ‘GBSC Approved Provider’ Category 2: Green Burial Conservation Cemetery, and;
The above-named cemetery established and maintained exclusively for Green Burial and shall, without reservation or obstruction, promote, offer and provide green burial services, and;
The above-named cemetery satisfying the 5 essential criteria of green burial shall also satisfy no less than seventeen (17) of the following additional criteria (check all that apply / must be at least 17):
Check the appropriate boxes
Individual burials are opened at a depth of 1.2M (or less).
Group memorial markers only.
Memorials are made of locally sourced materials, such as stone or wood.
Cremated remains are buried directly in the earth, without an outer container.
Scattered cremated remains are amended with compost or soil.
Family/public participation in green burial ceremonies are encouraged, such as the infilling of graves if allowed. plant materials for grave, planting of graves, etc.)
Family/public participation in land and grave maintenance, such as selecting native plants for graves, planting native plants on graves, etc when or where possible.
Seed or plant starts (not sod) native to the area are to be used for grave restoration.
Supplemental watering is done only as needed to establish or to maintain plants during dry spells. Watering is done by hand rather than by an in-ground irrigation systerm.
No pesticides are used anywhere on the land.
Only organic fertilizers and soil amendments are used on the land.
The cemetery has completed a baseline environmental assessment.
Replanting is based on an ecological restoration plant to return the land to the original natural habitat.
Environmentally sensitive areas are identified, and burials are limited there.
Burial density does not interfere with the natural habitat, which may limit a cemetery to 300 or fewer burials per acre; density can be greater with buffer acreage surrounding.
Electric or alternative-fuel vehicles and/or tools are used in the cemetery.
The cemetery commits to ongoing, site-wide ecologically sound initiatives, such as recycling and composting.
The cemetery commits to supporting habitat restoration by planting and/or protecting native plants that contribute to habitat creation on-site and/or off-site, by supporting local habitat restoration projects.
A conservation covenant is placed on the land title.
The cemetery accurately reflects green burial principles and GBSC certification standards.
Applicants commit to provide green burials under the above criteria and upon GBSC request shall provide written evidence of a conservation easement/commitment placed on the cemetery green burial area indicating protection against any future change of use or repurposing.
CATEGORY 2: DECLARATION & SIGNATURE
By my signature below I, on behalf of ‘the Cemetery’, make application for Green Burial Society of Canada (GBSC) ‘Green Burial Conservation Cemetery’ recognition and ‘the Cemetery’, its management, staff, agents and volunteers shall comply with and abide by the above set out criteria and the GBSC Statement of Ethical Practices. My signature of this document confirms that I am a signing officer (i.e. principal, signing manager, executive director, etc.) of ‘the Cemetery’ and as such I have the authority to make this application and bind ‘the Cemetery’ to the declarations and commitments made as may relate to this application and the GBSC.
Name of Signatory
First
Last
Signature
Signed on this date:
MM slash DD slash YYYY
One Time Application Fee
Category 2 (one-time) Application Fee: $150 CAD; Annual Certification Fee (2025) $150 CAD. All of your personal and contact information will be kept private and confidential and used by the GBSC only for the purposes of processing your application. Your application fee will only be processed when your application has been ‘Approved’. You will be contacted by the GBSC Vetting Committee as part of the approval process. Upon submission you will be prompted to pay
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