Cemetery

Reminder Notices 

• Please be reminded that dogs and other pets must be restrained by a proper leash and accompanied by their owner when visiting the cemetery grounds and every owner must remove and dispose of excrement left by their pet.
• Visitors' vehicles shall not leave the roadways.
• Decoration Sunday is held annually on Father's Day but please keep in mind the regulations regarding flower beds, annual flowers, artificial flowers, moon rays, free standing articles, etc. when decorating.
• Flower beds are permitted in front of upright monuments and markers located at the head of lots. The flower beds must not exceed the width of the monument/marker base and must not exceed 50.8 cm (20 inches) distance from the monument/marker base. Therefore, flowers/plants/shrubs, etc. are not permitted behind the monument except with permission when the rights to the lots in front and behind a monument/marker are owned by the same Interment Rights Holder/Family. Annual flowers must be removed or cleaned up by October 15th of each year.
• Borders, fences, railing, cut-stone coping and hedges in or around lots are not permitted, except that borders to protect flowers can be installed by permission of cemetery staff to further define a flower bed. The borders around flower beds must not exceed the width of the monument/marker base located at the head of a grave and must not exceed 50.8 cm (20 inches) distance from the monument/marker base.
• Artificial flowers, wreaths, potted plants (planters), etc. are permitted to be placed on a
  regular lot after November 15th, however, must be removed by April 1st of each year.

Moon Rays/Other Articles

All moon rays and other free standing articles must be placed in a defined flower bed to allow the Cemetery Caretaker to perform general cemetery operations in an effective and efficient manner. Note: Moon rays and other articles are not permitted in the Flat Marker Section (Section 5, Ranges G-H, Rows 5-9) or the Urn Garden. 

No glass containers or breakable pottery/ornamental items are permitted that may create a hazard to workers or visitors if neglected.

Please review the Dorchester Union Cemetery's Regulations By-law to ensure you are in
compliance.

The Dorchester Union Cemetery offers several options for Interment Rights. Our staff is available to help you select a location that best aligns with your wishes and needs.

Some areas to consider:

• Feelings about full burial or cremation
• The number of Lots or Niches required 
• Proximity to family and friends
• The importance of flowers 
• Feelings about the use of a vault

Please note the purchase of Interment Rights for a Lot or Niche does not include the fees for Interment or Inurnment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many burials are permitted in one Lot or Niche?

For a Regular Lot, one full burial and one cremation is permitted, or four cremation interments. For areas like the Urn Garden or the Columbaria, there is room for two cremation interments. 

Am I required to have a vault?

It is mandatory in Section 5 for full burials to have a vault. This is the only section with this requirement. 

When I buy a Lot, do I own the land?

When you purchase a Lot, you are not purchasing the land itself. Instead, you are acquiring an Interment Right. As the Interment Rights Holder, you have the authority to determine:

• Who may be interred in the Lot or Niche
• The type of Memorialization, in accordance with the current Cemetery By-law, noting that Bronze Plaques are required for Niche purchases

The land remains the property and responsibility of the Municipality of Thames Centre, which owns Dorchester Union Cemetery and is designated as the Cemetery Operator.

How long do I own my Interment Rights?

Provincial legislation requires that all interment rights be sold in perpetuity. This means that you and your heirs retain ownership of the interment rights indefinitely. Interment Rights Holders are advised to let us know who will inherit this right in the future.

How do I know that the cemetery will be maintained forever?

Provincial legislation requires that a percentage of the purchase price for each Interment Right sold must be placed into a Care and Maintenance Trust Fund, as maintained by the Municipality of Thames Centre. 

This Trust Fund helps ensure the long-term upkeep of a cemetery. The fund pays for maintenance of the cemetery while it has sales of its services and products, and after it no longer has sales. As a Cemetery Operator, the Municipality of Thames Centre is required to make contributions to the fund from the sales of the in-ground graves and niches.

The Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA) outlines how much is required to contribute from the sale of each of these items. This will be either a percentage of the item’s price (for example, 40 per cent of the price) or a set dollar amount – whichever is greater.

Can there be more than one Rights Holder?

Yes, there can be one or more Interment Rights Holder(s) for a Lot or Niche. 

Can anyone in my family be interred in the Lot or Niche?

Interment Rights Holder(s) have the right to inter anyone they want in their Lot or Niche. Written permission is required from the Rights Holder(s) for every interment. 

Can I be buried with my pet(s)?

The Dorchester Union Cemetery is dedicated to the burial of human remains. While we understand the deep bonds people share with animals, animal remains may not be buried in any grave within this cemetery.

We understand that this is a difficult time and are committed to making this process as smooth and supportive as possible. Please contact our staff who will respond to you the same day.

The Municipality requires at least sixteen (16) working hours/two (2) business days' advance written notice for interments, except under special circumstances. 

The following is required to be submitted:

• Authorize Interment (downloadable) or Authorize Niche Opening (depending on if it's a Lot or Niche)
• Order for Interment (downloadable)
• Original Burial Permit or Original Certificate of Cremation
• Payment (see the "Fees and Payment Options" tab below)

The regular weekday hours for interments are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

There is an additional surcharge of $305 for interments taking place on weekdays between 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or on Saturdays/Sundays between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

There may be an additional surcharge of $244 to remove snow and frost, depending on the weather. 

Funeral homes are responsible for the supply and operation of lowering devices and artificial grass, whether owned by funeral home or leased from a supplier by the funeral home, along with the supply and delivery of vaults, where required.

Financial assistance may be available for qualified Social Service recipients. Please see staff for additional details.

A one-time Care and Maintenance fee applies to interments in lots purchased before 1955.

Interment Register
Disinterment Public Register

As the Interment Rights Holder, you are required to comply with the Cemetery By-law governing the installation of monuments and memorials, as well as the maintenance of flower beds.

Regular Lots

Only one (1) upright monument is permitted to be erected on a lot. All monuments will be placed at the head of the lot. The base of a monument on a single lot cannot exceed two-thirds (2/3) the width of the lot on which the monument is erected. On a double lot, the base of a monument cannot exceed (4’) or 48” in width. On multiple lots (ie. three, four, etc.), the base of a monument cannot not exceed five feet (5’) or 60” in width. The height of a monument, including the base, cannot exceed four feet (4’) in height. The Cemetery Operator makes the necessary arrangements for the construction of foundations for monuments. No upright memorials are permitted in the area designated for “Flat Markers Only” (Memorial Lots/Urn Garden). 

At a single or double lot, including the ‘Flat Markers Only’ (Memorial Lots) section, a flat marker cannot exceed two-thirds (2/3) the width of the lot, including the casing or cement border, on which the marker is installed. A flat marker may be placed at the foot of the lot that contains an existing upright monument as long as it does not exceed 2/3 the width of the lot on which the marker is to be installed. Also, a flat marker may be placed at the head of a lot provided there is no upright monument erected on said lot. The maximum size of markers on single lots in the Garden (Urn) sections cannot exceed 24" x 12", including the casing or cement border. The minimum thickness for flat markers including footstones is 4 inches or 10 cm. At the head of a lot, the length of a marker must not exceed 16”. At the foot of a lot, the length of a marker must not exceed 14”.

Flat Marker Installation Form

Monument Foundations

The Dorchester Union Cemetery has two scheduled foundation pours each year for upright monuments - one in the spring and one in the fall. Installation fees depend on the size of the foundation. 

Foundation Order Form

Columbaria

At time of purchase of a Niche in a Columbarium, it is required to also purchase the Bronze Plaque that is affixed to the outside of the Niche. A Bronze Plaque can be memorialized for an individual or for two people. The Bronze Plaque Order form is provided during the appointment to purchase Interment Rights. 

A separate order form can be found below to order a Name Plate (Wall Columbaria) or Year Plate (Dome Columbaria).

Bronze Memorial Order Form

Please note there is an installation fee for any Bronze Plaques, Name Plate or Year Plate. For the Wall Columbaria, there is also a measurement fee to ensure accuracy for ordering. 

For the Dome Columbaria, order and delivery time is approximately 12-14 weeks for Bronze Plaques. 

Memory Plaques

The two Dome Columbaria structures have space dedicated for the installation of memory plaques. There are no Niches in these specific areas.

Example of Memory Plaque
Memory Plaque Order Form

2026 Price List for the Dorchester Union Cemetery

The Municipality accepts cash, debit, or cheque at the municipal office. See staff for online payment options.

All fees for supplies and services shall be paid in full at time of purchase. Interments cannot be prepaid. 

All prices are subject to HST, excluding Burial Permit and Registration of Death.

Please note that a $35.00 fee will apply for a returned cheque.

For more information, to make arrangements or schedule an appointment, please contact: 

Kendra O'Brien, Customer Service Coordinator 
Municipality of Thames Centre
4305 Hamilton Road
Dorchester, ON N0L 1G3
(519) 268-7334
cemetery@thamescentre.on.ca

Our office is open to serve you:

Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 3:45 pm, excluding holidays
4305 Hamilton Road, Dorchester

Appointments are preferred to ensure confidentiality.

Address of the Dorchester Union Cemetery:

2251 Dorchester Road
Dorchester, ON N0L 1G2

There is no mail delivery service to the cemetery. Mail must be sent to the Municipal Office located at 4305 Hamilton Road, Dorchester, ON, N0L 1G3 with attention to the Dorchester Union Cemetery.

Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO)'s Consumer Information Guide

Middlesex County Burial Assistance

Ontario Genealogical Society - London & Middlesex Branch 

Ontario Genealogical Society