Sudbury ponders pet cemeteries to boost revenue

City councillors heard Monday night that staff are looking for ways to make more money to maintain Sudbury's 25 cemeteries — and providing a final resting place for pets in the city could help.

Councillor Terry Kett said a good spot would be some city owned land on Second Avenue, between the Civic Memorial Cemetery and the new dog park.

"Pet cemeteries are becoming quite common across North America and I think, in terms of geography, we have a perfect opportunity there,” he said.

Director of Citizens Services Ron Henderson said Sudbury's cemeteries need $300,000 in repairs.

But Henderson noted the revenue from the city's nine active cemeteries barely covers the cost of maintaining the 16 full cemeteries in Greater Sudbury

"We have 100 acres of grass to cut, four miles of fencing [and] there's 35,000 monuments out there,” he said.

In the future, the city might need to look at increasing burial fees or investing some tax dollars in the municipal graveyards, Henderson said.

At Kett's request, city staff will also look into the possibility of setting up a green cemetery, where bodies are buried in a natural setting that becomes a memorial forest.