New owners find dozens of stored cremated remains at Nova Scotia funeral home

After acquiring Serenity Funeral Home in the Annapolis Valley, East Coast Memorial found a "significant number" of cremated remains that had been left in storage for decades. The discovery led to calls to families who believed they had already interred their relatives, causing emotional upset and confusion about whether the correct ashes had been buried. Provincial regulators, including Service Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, sent inspectors to the crematorium to investigate.

Former owner Tony Facey confirmed a stack of unclaimed ashes dating back as far as 25 years, noting that such unclaimed remains are a broader industry issue. Funeral industry officials said it is unusual for a funeral home to retain ashes for long periods without family knowledge. East Coast Memorial plans to contact all affected families and arrange a community burial ceremony for any remains that cannot be returned.