The Journal Newsletter - Issue #2023-03

Edition #2023-03

November 2023

LEST WE FORGET

OUR ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN CONTINUES ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS #oacfp2023 at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville marked a resounding success, with over 325 participants exploring themes of leadership and the future of the bereavement sector through engaging sessions, workshops, and a futuristic trade show, fostering a sense of community and leaving attendees equipped with newfound skills for shaping the sector's future.

WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERS OACFP continues to work on behalf of our members as we anticipate potential changes to the FBCSA. We have continued our engagement with with McMillan Vantage to assist in our government relations strategy. Find our out more in our Government Relations Corner.

#OACFP23 LEADING THE WAY

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PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

JOHN PERROTTA, HAMILTON MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES

CALLED TO SERVE - INCOMING PRESIDENT’S SPEECH AT #OACFP23 In 2017, when I first volunteered for the OACFP, I stood in front of about 50 people as the committee chair for our mausoleum best practises program…not once did I ever think I would be speaking in front of hundreds of people as incoming president. I am deeply honoured and profoundly grateful for the trust you have placed in me. Reflecting on my journey from a committee chair to now the incoming president, I am reminded that in our dynamic sector, unexpected opportunities often emerge from unforeseen places.

I do want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Past President, Allan Job. Allan, thank you for your leadership this past year. You have left some big shoes for me to fill, but I am up for the challenge. Of course, none of our accomplishments would have been possible without the dedication of our board of directors, committee chairs, co-chairs and our members, who all graciously volunteer their time to contribute to our sector. Executive Director Darren Denomme and Education Coordinator Kate McMaster are always hard at work, and we are very fortunate to have them both. Thank you all, for your hard work and dedication. I look forward to continuing to work with you all.

I am pleased to welcome a new board member, Philippe Lauriault. Philippe, your knowledge and experience are going to be a great addition to the board.

Sadly, this past year was Meghan’s last year on the board as Past President… for now, I know she will be back. Thank you, Meghan, for all your contributions.

Your passion and energy will be missed.

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PRESIDENT’S UPDATE.....CONT.....

This next year, presents many challenges and opportunities for our association. Labour shortages, specifically of funeral directors in the province, possible changes to the FBCSA, moving forward with a priority of persons legislation, crematorium emissions issues, challenges surrounding the ease of development of cemeteries, increases to assisted burial and funeral fees, completing our NSERC research project in conjunction with Collège Boréal, and implementing our strategic and value proposition plans are but a few of the issues we will face. Needless to say, we have our work cut out for us as a board. However, I am happy to be leading the association as we tackle these issues and grow our association.

What I am most proud of, is the education content we provide you, our members. There is no better place to network with your colleagues and gather valuable information to assist you in your day-to-day operations. I continue to learn something new every time I attend any of our training programs or webinars. It is so great to meet people who work in the same sector as you. People who understand our operations and challenges and, in true OACFP fashion, everyone is always open to sharing ideas and solutions for any issue that challenges us. I look forward to attending our educational sessions and hopefully will have an opportunity to speak to you all.

A little bit about me….I started my career in cemeteries as a summer student working for the Catholic Cemeteries, Diocese of Hamilton. I was 16 at the time. I still remember my first day like it was yesterday.

Saturday morning in May, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, pushing a wheelbarrow full of garden hoses from section to section watering all the new graves that had just been seeded and the new trees that had been planted. About one hour into my shift, I managed to tangle all my hoses and couldn’t figure out how to untangle them. The foreman wasn’t too happy, and neither was my father…yes, like most of you in this sector, I worked with my father, that is how I was introduced to cemeteries.

I went on to complete my degree in History from McMaster University. When I graduated, I thought, now what? Fortunately, Mr. Robert O’Brien, OACFP Past President, and long-time executive director at the Catholic Cemeteries hired me as a family services counsellor and I never looked back. I am thankful for that opportunity.

I spent the next 14 years holding various positions, including Health and Safety Coordinator, District Cemeterian and Family Services Manager, and in 2017, I moved on to my current employer, City of Hamilton Municipal Cemeteries. My current position is Superintendent of Cemeteries, where I oversee the administration and operation of 70 cemeteries….yes, you heard me correctly, 70 cemeteries. That number keeps going up, unfortunately, it never goes down, no matter how much I beg my friends at the BAO.

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PRESIDENT’S UPDATE.....CONT.....

Most important is my family, my wife Evangelia and two sons Christian, 9 and Leo, 2. I thank them for their support and for putting up with me always working at my computer. My famous line is, I just gotta finish this one email, I’m almost done…that one email turns into 5 with my sons trying to turn off my computer. If I’m not at work, I am with the boys having fun, there’s nothing better….and yes, they will be cemeterians in the future….or at the very least, summer students.

I want to thank my employer, the City of Hamilton for their continued support of me and the OACFP in all of our events and committees, and for supporting my participation on the board.

Lastly, thank all of you for all you do to serve the families in your communities.

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A WORD FROM THE PAST-PRESIDENT As I have heard every past president say, “time sure goes by fast”, and this past year has been no exception. It has been a great pleasure to have met so many new people at so many events throughout the province. At every event I could see, firsthand, the commitment, hard work and perseverance of dedicated bereavement sector individuals, and it was truly inspiring.

Under the direction of Executive Director, Darren Denomme, and Education Coordinator, Kate McMaster, OACFP continues to expand its extensive educational offerings.This year, the Municipal and Small Cemetery Working Group meetings were expanded by holding the event in 5 simultaneous locations all connected via an online portal.

This expanded program is also part of OACFP’s strategic plan to create regional ambassadors throughout the province of Ontario.

OACFP also developed two new educational programs this year, a Funeral Director Assistant (FDA) program and a Master of Bereavement Business Administration (MBBA) program. The FDA program was held at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Center in Toronto in conjunction with the Cemetery Front-Line program. The FDA program was a huge success, and this full-day event is another example of how OACFP attempts to bring together, all bereavement professionals. The MBBA program is a 10-week, virtual-first program with content based on an MBA curriculum. Students enrolled in this program will learn, understand, and apply the best practices of people management and business finances to immediately improve your business. With over 20 hours of video, a private learning community, and an arsenal of templates, resources, and knowledge, it's one of the most comprehensive programs for the bereavement sector in the market.

OACFP has been long known for the quality of the educational programs it offers and it is important to recognize the hard work of Kate McMaster. Kate is constantly researching and developing new educational content so that each of us can continue our personal development and become knowledgeable experts in our communities.

In addition to the many successful educational offerings and events, OACFP has been busy with 3 major endeavours, an awareness campaign around recruitment and retention, lobbying government, and conducting a value audit.

A WORD FROM THE PAST-PRESIDENT.......

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To create awareness of recruitment and retention issues we have continuously published articles discussing labour shortages particularly identifying how the bereavement sector is unique in that at the same time as we are facing labour challenges, we are also facing a dramatic increase of deaths that will occur as the baby boom generation nears their final years. Here is a small list of the educational and awareness endeavours put together by OACFP to specifically target recruitment and retention within the sector.

Multiyear NSERC research project in partnership with College Boreal to study the post-pandemic attitudes towards the provision of bereavement sector offerings, resilience, and the public sentiment towards the services we provide.

Enrollment in Chatterhigh, an award-winning engagement platform that engages thousands of students across Ontario, promoting the bereavement sector as a possible future career path.

The creation of an online survey designed for any member of the public to evaluate their suitability for a career in the bereavement sector.

Multiple sessions on resilience, recruitment and retention offered during our many educational events such as our Women’s Symposium, Front-line training events, and the upcoming conference.

OACFP will be presenting a special webinar this fall specifically on the topic of Burnout as it relates to retention.

Understanding the increased importance of the role of an FDA, OACFP has now created, for the first time, a Front-Line FDA training event.

Lobbying Government: Led by our Government Relations Committee, OACFP continued our engagement with government using the public relations and advocacy group McMillan Vantage. Our combined efforts were to seek regulatory clarity and change on the following key issues.

To seek an exemption for cemeteries, under the parkland and greenspace categorization, within the new On-Site and Excess Soil Management regulation, O Reg 406/10.

To secure the tabling of legislation for controlling the disposition of human and cremated remains. An established Authorized Decision Maker protocol would greatly assist Ontario Funeral Homes and Cemetery Operators.

To request a formal consultation from the Minister of the Environment to embark on a comprehensive consultation process to establish realistic and evidence-based emissions standards for crematoriums.

To seek an update on the legislated Social Service Fees for assisted burials and assisted funeral services, which have been fixed for the past 30 years.

To seek an update on the privacy of client information. FBCSA currently requires cemetery operators to make available a public register containing names and addresses which is in contradiction to the privacy act.

So far, our efforts have led to amendments to the On-Site and Excess Soil Management regulation, O Reg 406/10.

Additionally, a special webinar was held on Thursday, August 24th where representatives from the MECP thoroughly explained the impact of the regulation on cemeteries. This webinar can be found on the OACFP ACE platform.

Additionally, OACFP was able to secure meetings with both the Hon. David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and Jordan Adair, Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.

During these meetings, your OACFP representatives continued to push for solutions to the main issues mentioned above as well as other issues of importance as expressed by our members in a government relations survey.

I offer my thanks to the entire Government relations Committee for their dedicated involvement in a multitude of issues this past year, and specifically co-chairs Angie Aquino and John Perrotta.

A WORD FROM THE PAST-PRESIDENT.......

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Value Audit: In January, guided by the question of what value we provide to our members, OACFP launched an internal value proposition audit. As our membership grows, we seek to better understand how we can deliver meaningful value to a diverse membership group. To assist us in gathering nuanced insight and to better understand the needs of our membership, OACFP has engaged the services of Halmyre. With the theme of “ELEVATING PROFESSIONALS AND ELEVATING THE PROFESSION” the Halmyre team led by Christine Saunders and Christine James guided us through a discovery process that included: Discovery and Situational Analysis Client meetings Stakeholder interviews Document review: Reports, membership surveys, past audits, financials Competitive/Frenemy Scan Marketing data analysis: Google Analytics, email, social media Member/non-Member Interviews – to deepen our understanding of issues and opportunities Facilitated Workshop with the OACFP’s board members Based on this discovery process OACFP has recently received a detailed analysis of the findings including a comprehensive report on the strategies and tactics to increase value to OACFP members. As of this writing, the board of OACFP has not yet had the opportunity to review the report so without revealing the strategic findings I can offer the following summary of Key Take-aways.

The sector’s workforce issues will take creativity and ingenuity to resolve, but there are interesting value delivery possibilities for OACFP in this effort.

Creative partnership opportunities can be an important part of that effort. Partnering with like-minded and similarcause organizations in health, human services, and education will engage receptive audiences in finding solutions.

There’s a shift in focus required for success. This strategy encourages OACFP to think increasingly like the trade association that it is. It’s a shift from providing individual services and support to providing leadership and growing a sector.

As cultural, generational, and societal expectations of bereavement evolve – and OACFP’s value proposition strives to evolve alongside them – the need for data and research grows. This is an opportunity to engage members in the research process, as well as deliver value with the research outputs.

I would like to thank the entire Board of Directors, John Perrotta, Mark Richardson, Tim Vreman, Sandra Aguilar, Shelley Challenger, Carly Lounsbury, Heather Earle, Caley Ferguson, David Perry, and Meghan Henning for their, support, and commitment to OACFP. While OACFP presidents come and go, Executive Director Darren Denomme is the stabilizing force that keeps OACFP steady and relevant. No words can adequately describe the importance and value of what Darren Denomme brings to OACFP. I offer my sincere thanks and gratitude for all the support and guidance that I received this past year.

Lastly, my final words to you are simply this, OACFP is the most relevant bereavement association in Ontario. Its continued success is due in large part because of the tireless efforts of its unified members and volunteers. I thank all of you for your support, it has truly been an honour and privilege to serve.

Thank You!

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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CORNER ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERSHIP With the assistance of McMillan Vantage (our government relations consultant), we will continue to advocate on behalf of the members on several key issues as outlined below. We have participated in numerous meetings and follow-up communications with various Ministries, including the Premier’s Office to effect positive changes while reinforcing the vital and essential role our members play in the province. At each opportunity, we urged the government to consider our industry’s perspectives to ensure that Ontarians are well served by the bereavement sector.

We are hopeful that the government will keep its commitment to continue consulting and working collaboratively with our association and well in advance of any proposed changes to address the needs of our members and grieving families.

MINISTRY OF PUBLIC AND BUSINESS DELIVERY (MPBSD) Priority of Persons Legislation Assisted Burials and Funeral Services Privacy Concerns regarding the Public Register Potential changes to the FBCSA in 2024

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVATION AND PARKS (MECP) Cremation Emissions Standards Push for implementation of regulations that follow industry best practices regarding emissions and pre-heating requirements

MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND HOUSING (MMAH) Provincial Planning and necessity of new cemetery lands The OACFP Position Paper on this issue is available in the Resources section of our member portal: OACFP Submission, August 3, 2023

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OACFP UPDATES & ARTICLES OF INTEREST REMINDERS ONTARIO'S NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS ACT Ontario's Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) replaced Ontario's Corporations Act on October 19, 2021. For our members who were previously incorporated as a non-profit under Ontario's Corporations Act ONCA applies to you. Not-for-Profit's have until October 18, 2024 to review and update governing documents with the Ontario government. Further information can be found below: NONPROFIT LAW ONTARIO

FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE EXCESS SOIL REGULATIONS The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) is proposing to amend O. Reg. 406/19: On-Site and Excess Soil Regulation (“Excess Soil Regulation”) and the Rules for Soil Management and Excess Soil Quality Standards. The amendments are intended to make the regulation easier to understand, more practical to implement, and reduce requirements on lower-risk activities to achieve greater reuse of readily usable excess soils.

The MECP is seeking input by December 1, 2023 To see the full communication please click the link below to visit our member resource section. (member login required).

MECP SOIL REGULATION UPDATES

ARTICLES OF INTEREST & RESOURSES HONOURING THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBRANCE DAY I SEE A NEED FOR MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEATH WHERE TO PUT THE DEAD THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE WHY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO YOUR BUSINESS’ SUCCESS

OUR NOVEMBER 29 DINE & DISCOVER SPEAKER THE DETECTIVE PODCAST WITH STEVE RYAN

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OACFP EVENTS

FINAL WEBINAR FOR 2023 - AN OVERVIEW OF JEWISH FUNERAL, BURIAL AND MOURNING CUSTOMSONOURING THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBRANCE DAY

DINE & DISCOVER - THE GHOSTS THAT HAUNT ME: MEMORIES OF A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE

CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION TRAINING - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20

CHECK OUT OUR EVENTS PAGE OR OACFP FOR ALL OUR EDUCATION OPTIONS OACFP EVENTS OACFP ACE

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MEMBERS IN THE NEWS LITTLE LAKE CEMETERY, PETERBOROUGH: REMEMBRANCE DAY SUNRISE SERVICE

BEECHWOOD CEMETERY, OTTAWA: REMEMBRANCE DAY AT BEECHWOOD CEMETERY

CST. THOMAS CEMETERY, ST. THOMAS: REGIMENTAL COLOURS INTERRED IN HISTORIC FASHION

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS REGULAR MEMBERS Muslim Green Cemeteries Ward Funeral Homes Municipality of Marmora and Lake Township of Nipissing M.W. Becker Funeral Home County Cemetery Company

SUPPLIER MEMBERS Memory Anchor CemSites Douglas Distributors HGH Granite Genelyn North America/Asia Epilogue AFFILIATE MEMBER Bereaved Families of Ontario 2 - INDIVIDUAL AFFILIATE MEMBERS 16 - STUDENT MEMBERS

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#OACFP23 LEADING THE WAY, SHAPING THE FUTURE

Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, ON, provided a beautiful backdrop for #oacfp23, setting the stage for one of the most successful and well-attended gatherings in recent memory. With over 325 participants, including delegates, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors, the event centred around the theme, "Leading the Way, Shaping the Future of the Bereavement Sector."

Mark Richardson, the OACFP's new vice president and chair of the conference committee, highlighted the resonance of the theme, emphasizing that leadership was a key focus throughout the sessions. The conference aimed to bring together a diverse mix of seasoned leaders and up-and-coming professionals, fostering networking opportunities and setting the stage for the future of the sector.

The conference kicked off with an active participation initiative – a ceremonial tree planting at Hutcheson Memorial Cemetery. This event symbolized appreciation for OACFP members serving their communities and honoured the dedication of the Huntsville Hospital Auxiliary. The organization expressed gratitude to the host community by pledging to plant 98 additional trees in local cemeteries.

Throughout the week, participants engaged in various sessions, workshops, and discussions, exploring critical issues facing the bereavement sector. The sandbox session, a collaborative group discussion, addressed challenges such as recruitment, retention, leadership attributes, and proactive complaint prevention. The keynote speakers, including Jennifer Botterill and Stephen Shedletzky, provided insights on resiliency, thriving in a changing environment, and becoming trusted thought leaders.

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#OACFP23: LEADING THE WAY, SHAPING THE FUTURE CONT.....

The conference showcased a diverse range of topics, from social media strategies for thought leadership to successful communication with the media. The lineup of experts, including Lisa Gibson, Andrea Love, and Stephen Shedletzky, contributed to a holistic exploration of leadership in the bereavement sector.

The trade show, featuring 44 vendors, added a futuristic touch, with new exhibitors like Life's QR demonstrating how QR codes can memorialize a loved one's life, and STIHL promoting their battery-operated equipment to reduce environmental impact.

We were also very happy to welcome 28 students from Humber College to the conference.

Beyond the educational sessions, the conference injected elements of fun and team building, including a sunset beach party and a smartphone mission scavenger hunt.

Thank you to all who made this event an incredible success.

Looking ahead to 2024, when we will reconvene in Windsor, we hope that all those who attended departed energized, and armed with newfound leadership skills to shape the future of the bereavement sector.

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#OACFP23: LEADING THE WAY, SHAPING THE FUTURE CONT.....

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We were pleased to be able to present four association awards this year plus announce the winner of the Phoenix Foundry Bereavement Profession Excellence Award at our annual awards banquet.

LIFE MEMBER AWARD The Life Member Award is given in recognition of outstanding commitment and support of the sector and the OACFP over a long career. Winners were Robert Palangio from North Bay R.C. Cemeteries and David Scott of Mount Royal Cemetery.

WILLIAM C. DRAIMIN AWARD Presented in appreciation for years of dedication, support and tireless devotion to the OACFP. This award recognizes countless volunteer hours dedicated to our Association and, above all, someone who is an ambassador on our behalf and strives to enhance and promote the vision and status of the OACFP among all Bereavement Professionals.

The award was presented to Tim Vreman, long time OACFP Treasurer and representative of Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of London.

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AWARD OF MERIT

Presented in recognition of outstanding contribution to the association and to the community. This award recognizes an individual who served the OACFP on the board, as executive and as president. The award also acknowledges the high level of recognition that this individual has received outside of the association for their contributions to their community With great respect and appreciation, the award was presented to Gary Rogerson of Arbor Memorial.

PHOENIX FOUNDRY BEREAVEMENT PROFESSION EXCELLENCE AWARD The Phoenix Foundry Bereavement Profession Excellence Award will be awarded to one individual from each Association. This award is designed to identify future leaders within your organisation and the bereavement sector. The winner of the award will receive an all expenses paid trip to Australia (OACFP winner) and Canada (ACCA winner) for a 2-week, 10 business day, period to see firsthand the processes and challenges the profession is facing in each country.

This will include working at host locations and visiting other key cemeteries within the host country during the visit.

Kassie Hudson from Oakview Funeral Home was the recipient.

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OACFP EDUCATION DON’T FORGET ABOUT OTHER OACFP ONLINE EDUCTION OPPORTUNIES AT OACFP-ACE

The OACFP has long been a leader in providing quality education for all bereavement sector professionals.

We work in conjunction with all our members and sector stakeholders to provide Ontario’s bereavement professionals with the most up to date, relevant and cost-effective education and training possible.

The OACFP offers a wealth of resources for the bereavement professional and we pride ourselves on being ”A Unified Association of Bereavement Sector Professionals Providing a Support Network of Education and Resources.”

We offer a variety of online and on-demand education on our OACFP ACE Learning Management System. For information on how to access and navigate the system, check out the short videos below.

CHECK OUT OUR OACFP ACE HELP VIDEOS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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FUNERAL DIRECTOR - PARK

FUNERAL DIRECTOR - BASIC

LAWN CORPORATION -

FUNERALS MISSISSAUGA

WARD FUNERAL HOME BRAMPTON

OACFP & CHATTERHIGH OACFP has worked with ChatterHigh to bring valuable information regarding a rewarding career in the bereavement sector to Ontario Educators. We ask our members to share this information with High School Guidance Departments in your area. Click the banner below for more information.

MEMBER BENEFIT SPOTLIGHT The biggest shopping weekend is right around the corner and I would like to take this time to remind you about your perks through Perkopolis!

Black Friday is the perfect time to save on shopping for the upcoming season but finding the best offers can be exhausting. Your exclusive access to Perkopolis ensures you can get the best offers all in one place.

Check out the attachment below to see some of the brands available on Perkopolis. If you are not already registered you can also find instructions on how to join Black Friday - Web (EN)

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR COMPLETE LIST OF MEMBER BENEFITS

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