Duffin Meadows Cemetery
Section 15
Meadowvale Cemetery
Section 14
Natural burial offers a way for people to reduce their environmental impact even at the end of life. The practice avoids embalming and relies on biodegradable materials such as simple caskets, urns or shrouds, allowing the body to return to the earth naturally.
Natural burial became available in the Greater Toronto Area in 2012, when Mount Pleasant Group introduced the region’s first dedicated space for this type of interment. The intention was to make a more environmentally conscious option accessible to those who were looking for one.
Today, Mount Pleasant Group cares for two dedicated natural burial sections, one at Duffin Meadows Cemetery in Pickering and one at Meadowvale Cemetery in Brampton. Instead of individual grave markers, the area uses shared monuments. Names are inscribed collectively, emphasizing a sense of community and a shared relationship with the land. The layout encourages visitors to reflect on sustainability, the environmental implications of end of life choices and invites ongoing dialogue about environmental responsibility in end of life care.
Source:
• Mount Pleasant Group – Natural Burial
Photos courtesy of Mount Pleasant Group
