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Bereavement Authority Of Ontario

The Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) is a government delegated authority administering provisions of the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA) on behalf of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services. Responsible for protection of the public interest, the BAO regulates and supports licensed: funeral establishment operators, directors and preplanners; cemetery, crematorium and alternative disposition operators; transfer service operators; and bereavement sector sales representatives across Ontario. The BAO is wholly funded by licensee fees (not tax dollars).



The BAO was established as a delegated administrative authority (DAA) on January 16, 2016, under the Safety and Consumer Statutes Administration Act, 1996. The delegation to the BAO occurred as a result of the mutual desire of the Ontario government and the bereavement industry to enhance professionalism, increase consumer protection and provide an effective, efficient and responsive regulatory framework.

The BAO is not a government entity; it is governed by an independent Board of Directors. Like other DAAs, the BAO is wholly financed by the fees paid by the industry sector it oversees. The transition to the BAO does not mean that the bereavement sector will be “self-regulating”. The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services maintains a strong oversight role in the sector and continues to be responsible for policy decisions under the FBCSA. The ministry also retains responsibility for cemetery closures, abandonments and burial sites of the FBCSA.

Effective April 1, 2016, the licensing and enforcement responsibilities previously exercised by the Board of Funeral Services (BOFS) was transferred to the BAO and BOFS was dissolved as a corporation. The BAO provides a more effective one-window approach for both licensees and consumers. Consumers now have a single point of contact for any questions or complaints they may have about funeral and transfer services or cemetery and crematorium services.

Functions Of the BAO

Offer a convenient single point of contact for the bereavement sector of funeral, transfer service, cemetery, crematorium and alternative disposition services

Inspect and license funeral establishments, transfer services, and cemeteries and crematoriums, and individuals who work in these sectors

Provide more efficient service delivery and enforcement

Stakeholders from the cemetery/crematorium and funeral/transfer services sectors, religious organizations, municipal organizations and other interested stakeholders were consulted on the establishment of the BAO.

Please visit their website for more information https://thebao.ca

To download the Consumer Information Guide https://thebao.ca/for-consumers/consumer-information-guide/

To view our License as issued by the BAO please click here.