Funeral benefit more than doubles; minister says change not related to unclaimed morgue bodies
Announcement comes as dozens of bodies remain unclaimed at province’s largest hospital
The Newfoundland and Labrador government said Monday it will more than double its funeral benefit but the minister responsible says it has nothing to do with the use of freezers to store a climbing number of unclaimed corpses at a St. John's hospital.
Families on income support will be able to apply for up to $5,000 in government assistance to help with cremation or burial costs.
Before Monday's announcement, the maximum amount available was $2,338, a figure that hadn't changed in nearly two decades. The government will also offer up to $1,500 for additional expenses like music, a grave liner and columbarium.
Children, Seniors and Social Development Minister Paul Pike made the announcement Monday afternoon, saying the changes are the result of discussions with funeral home owners and a review of the income support program.
"This will ensure funeral home operators in Newfoundland and Labrador are able to continue to provide funeral services for income support clients and those in low income," Pike told reporters.
"The new rate structure is also more flexible and will allow families more choice when selecting services."
In March, CBC News reported 28 bodies were being stored in freezer units outside the Health Sciences Centre due to a lack of space in the morgue, which doubles as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
As of Monday, according to department officials, that number is now 30.
Pike said the announcement has nothing to do with the mounting unclaimed bodies and was a result of his department reviewing its income support programs.
"It's just that this piece's work was done and we wanted to make sure that, you know, we got it out in a timely fashion," he said.
Within the last 48 hours, none of the bodies in the morgue are people on income support, said Pike. But he wouldn't say definitively if the new boost to the funeral assistance might affect the number of stored bodies.
"When it comes to, you know, CSSD clients, those on income support and those living in low income, you know, we certainly think that this will help in some ways," said Pike.
"I can't speak to the morgue and, and why even why the bodies that are there are there now. That would be a question for the Department of Health."
Funeral operators 'not happy'
In an interview with CBC News just last week, Pike said the $2,300 funeral benefit was enough to cover a basic funeral.
When asked what had changed to warrant an increase to funeral prices, Pike said it came from discussions with funeral home owners.
"What changed was in our consultations with funeral home operators we found that, you know, they felt that was low. Needed to be increased. When we looked at our numbers we felt the same way," said Pike.
He added that in the past two years the department had helped cover almost 700 funerals to the cost of $2.2 million.
"So it was working in that respect. But we also realized that funeral home operators weren't happy. They felt it should be increased."
He said his department listened and decided to meet the needs of the businesses for more money.
The announcement to increase the funeral benefit comes less than a week after a CBC News story about Janice Strickland, whose 31-year-old daughter Sarah died unexpectedly earlier this month. Strickland said her family couldn't afford the $4,000 cost she was quoted for a cremation. The family turned to raising the money through an online fundraiser to cover the expense.
Strickland said she was told that since her family started a fundraiser, the government wouldn't offer any help. As the Strickland family waited to raise the necessary funds, Sarah's body stayed in the Health Sciences Centre's freezer storage, one of dozens of bodies that are going unclaimed.
After thousands of dollars in donations poured in, the Strickland family were able to bury Sarah on Friday.
Opposition balks
Opposition critics doubted Pike's announcement had nothing to do with the bodies being kept in hospital freezer storage.
NDP Leader Jim Dinn credited media reporting for bringing this issue to the forefront of the department and also didn't put much stock in Pike's comment that the funding increase and morgue were unrelated.
"I would say it has everything to do with the news story," said Dinn, who also said people age out of income support when they reach 65 and are no longer under the purview of the department.
"I would say that there is a goodly number there who are probably there because their families couldn't afford a funeral."
Dinn also noted covered funeral expenses will now go up to $5,000, which doesn't mean people will be able to get that maximum amount.
The problem with bodies going unclaimed and staying in hospital storage isn't going to go away, he said, and wasn't optimistic about actions taken so far to address it.
"I definitely don't think the option is build a bigger freezer and store the bodies," said Dinn.
Progressive Conservative health critic Barry Petten said the additional money for funeral assistance is good for those who need it but he doesn't think any action has been taken to address the problem of bodies going unclaimed.
Petten said he doesn't think the province is any further ahead with the larger problem that he thinks precipitated the announcement."
"The minister coming today, and I was expecting that they were finally … listening to what the public and what opposition have been saying, but unfortunately they're not."
Petten also dismissed Pike's comments that the announcement had nothing to do with the bodies in the morgue.
"That's the minister's words, but I can guarantee you we would not be here on July 29 with 30 C temperature if it wasn't because of the morgue," said Petten.
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
