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Funerals can be expensive and confusing, and require making decisions at an extremely difficult time. For families who have recently lost someone, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
But, as is often the case, creating a co-operative can make this process better.
Across Canada, people have created both funeral co-ops and memorial societies, which play different roles in supporting loved ones. A funeral co-op is a member-owned business that operates its own funeral home and provides services. A memorial society negotiates fair funeral pricing with trusted providers and offers tools and guidance. One successful example is the Cooperative Memorial Society in Alberta, which has been around since 1966.
“We exist to reduce the emotional and financial stress that people face at end-of-life,” said the co-op’s Executive Director Terry Geib. “We do that through informed planning and access to affordable, dignified funeral options.”
The group was started by people coming together to create the co-op built on transparency, dignity, and affordability.
The Need for Co-operative Funeral Services
Funeral services have become more and more commercialized, as people have come to rely on professionals to take care of the arrangements. Geib said people have been concerned about the affordability of funerals for a long time. In the 1950s, people here heard about memorial societies that were popping up in Europe.
“And so those people got together and said, ‘We don’t want to pay the high cost of funerals’,” Geib said, referring to the co-op’s founding members. “…they thought [funerals] were expensive — nothing compared to what they are today.”
Now, decades later, Geib said the Cooperative Memorial Society still exists “to reduce the emotional and financial stress that people face at end-of-life”, by providing members with access to affordable, dignified funeral options and planning support.
Geib notes that corporate consolidation in the funeral industry has shifted many providers toward profit-driven models, often placing additional pressure on families at the worst possible time.
“Their model is profit-driven,” she said, “and therefore decisions don’t always place families’ needs first.”
What Do Memorial Societies Do?
Unlike funeral co-ops, memorial societies don’t run funeral homes. They work with carefully-chosen partner funeral homes, vetted to ensure they share the same mandate and vision.
This allows them to negotiate fair pricing, help people plan ahead, provide clear, unbiased information, and support families through end-of-life decision-making.
“We don’t want them upselling our members,” Geib said of the co-op’s partners. “We don’t want extra pressure. We want to provide discounted, you know, basic plans for them.”
Geib said planning ahead is one of the most important parts of this work, and the funeral providers they work with agree.
“They see what people go through when people haven’t planned for end-of-life,” she said. “And it’s hard. It’s really hard for families.”
Why a Co-op is the Answer
This memorial society works like all co-operatives — it is owned by the people who use it and exists to put their needs first.
“Co-ops are all about the members they serve and meeting their needs,” Geib said. “…In our case, it’s very simple. Our members need assistance, and they don’t know where to turn.”
That sense of ownership shows up in meaningful ways, from strong participation in annual meetings to word-of-mouth growth. Today, the Society serves 30,000 active members across Alberta.
Co-ops like this show that when people come together to solve a problem they can build practical, compassionate, affordable alternatives. Many of the services people rely on are becoming harder to afford. What could benefit from a co-operative approach today?
Inspired to create a co-op in your community? Reach out to Co-operatives First at info@cooperativesfirst.com for information on where to start. To learn more about co-ops, take our free, online Introduction to Co-ops course.