I am from California had a parent in law member who lived out in Canada and the funeral Amherst allowed this to be a smooth and easy process during a very difficult time, especially being in a different location and not being there physically. Their delicate understanding and helpfulness was greatly appreciated. All the glory to God. Thank you to Christian, Scott and jatin. read more

Efficient service, empathetic people. They know what you're going through, and are attentive and understanding. Note that the actual cremation is in Blaine, Washington. But for an extra fee, they will use a local crematorium. Pricing is fair and comparable to other providers. Timely service. Took about 10 days from when I completed the paperwork, to receiving the ashes. read more

I've looked for a few different places prior to finding this one and I couldn't have made a better choice. My mother had passed unexpectedly and it was quite difficult arranging things as I am located in the states. Amherst took care of everything with such care and ease. Christian and Jatin have been a light in my darkness during this time and couldn't have asked for better service. All of my calls and emails were answered with quick responses. They gave me the time I needed to gather things and never rushed the process. I truly appreciate and would recommend their services always. Thank you Amherst for everything. read more

2 minutes agoNew-Edit Delete I'm writing to share my disappointment with Amherst Funeral and cremation services. My mother passed away on December 23rd, and I contacted the company to handle her cremation and arrange for her remains to be transferred to California, so I could lay her to rest with my father in Los Angeles. When I first spoke to them, I was assured her remains would be picked up by Monday, December 30th. However, they weren't picked up until that Friday--several days later than promised. When I called to ask about the delay, they explained they were "backed up" with others ahead of us. If that was the case, they should have given me a realistic timeline upfront. I would have considered working with a different company rather than having my mom's body sit in the hospital morgue for days. After this delay, I spoke to Scott, the owner, who reassured me that my mother's ashes would arrive in California by January 10th. Based on that promise, I planned a small celebration of life for January 11th. But on January 10th, I received a call from the funeral home asking when I'd be picking up the ashes IN PERSON--completely contradicting they charged and received payment for an international transfer and promised the delivery by the 10th. Ultimately, her ashes weren't delivered until January 18th, a full eight days after the promised date. The company tried to claim they had only promised to have the ashes ready on January 10th, not delivered, but I know for a fact I clarified this with them multiple times. Their miscommunication and lack of reliability disrupted my plans and caused unnecessary stress during an already difficult time. In hindsight, this company seems to prioritize quantity over quality, treating their operation like a factory. While their pricing is low, the human element and care that should be a cornerstone of their services were lacking. I am writing this review because I wouldn't want anyone else to go through what my family and I experienced. read more

DO NOT deal with anyone but Scott. The other office staff are disrespectful. If only Scott, would give them 5 stars. Scott was calm, patient, kind, service is a reasonable price, and timely. Had an issue with an Urn ordered, tried to mitigate, staff complained about the number of phone calls and laughed at me during a call. Not what you need in a time of mourning. After reading some other reviews I noticed this pattern. Scott seems to be the professional contact. Make sure you ONLY speak with him. read more

The best funeral service I can imagine. I used their service for both of my parents.

My mom passed away in July. But this time around it was less stressful because we already went through the stress 6 years ago when my dad passed away. And luckily at that time, I relentlessly searched and found Amherst, a better alternative than the funeral home we had visited! (see my previous review). This time, we contacted Amherst the day my mom passed away and they transferred her from the hospice to the morgue for us. I was surprised that they had an automated system and other staff as 6 years ago it was mainly Christian and Scott with some help at the service from another gentleman. So nice to know they have expanded. Can only mean because they are doing well! Scott and Christian came over to meet us at my sister's house. We signed the contract. Contacted them once we booked the Church and didn't worry from there on. Both Scott and Christian were at the service. Christian stood by the sign in table helping hand out programs, memorial cards, etc. Scott was with our family explaining things, etc. Everything went without a glitch. Provided Christian with our funeral program computer file, probably only a few days before the service, yet they still managed to get them printed for us in time! I commented to Christian that i was surprised about the quick turn around and he mentioned that they have a great relationship with the mom and pop print shop that they deal with. I guess in their business everything is last minute as everything happens so quickly! Cost was approximately $4,300 for the funeral and a separate cremation in Vancouver with private viewing of the casket before cremation. Cost would have been considerably less without the viewing for those that don't need. The crematorium hall rental was $850. We were only there for about 30 minutes as we only invited immediate family since we already had a funeral/celebration of life previously. Mom was not viewable like at her funeral but we had her casket at the front of the hall so people could say their last goodbyes. This cost is not outrageous as you could hold a gathering there instead of a church. Not 100% you could do an actual viewing before the cremation as we did one previously already. You'd have to discuss with Christian/Scott if this is what you wanted. Anyhow, really you cannot go wrong, dealing with Amherst in terms of service AND cost! It's something i want to spread to as many people as I can....although it's not something you freely bring up when people are sick, old or even healthy really! ON a side note, another thing i really want to spread to people is that funerals should not be somber! They should be celebrations of a life well lived. Do this and it really lifts the spirits and makes you less sad about losing a loved one! Many have a sombre funeral which is then sometimes followed by a celebration of life. Instead of having 2 separate events with different emotions, as a society we need to make it a more happy event, like the scottish wakes. While googling happy funeral you don't find much. But it seems like they are starting to pop up a bit, but more in the UK and other european countries. For my dad's funeral, mom, wanted us to all wear red to make it a "happy" event. In chinese culture, red is for celebration, so really it's kind of taboo. We complied, but it did feel a bit awkward...and it was still a somber event! This time around, we asked that people wore red or bright happy colours. We reminded people constantly that my mom wanted people to celebrate her life and not be sad as she lived her life well! We had recently celebrated mom's birthday a month before she passed. we had made memory books and asked people to send us stories and memories. It was beautiful reading all these! For mom's funeral we brought these books for people to read. Instead of the standard book for people to sign, we got a nice scrapbook, added photos of mom on each page and people signed and left messages. It's a nice keepsake that we can read over and over! Every time someone came up to us and started tearing up, i had to remind them that mom would be mad at them and they would make us cry! So, it was nice people were in a more happy mood and spent more time remembering our wonderful mother! Day of the funeral was pouring rain, but after the funeral mass, it was a beautiful sunny day! My sister and I know that day, mom (and dad) was smiling from above as it was a beautiful celebration! Thanks Amherst for being a big part of this day! ...and thanks to you all for reading my long novel review/advice! read more

Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services - A wealth of information provided to you to help you with everything you wouldn't necessarily know to do - Cremation Services Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Can not say enough good things about this company. I have used them twice under somewhat difficult circumstances and they provided excellent service both times.The amazing thing is not only was their service 5 star their pricing was lower than others I had originally contacted read more

The Amherst team was very professional. All the staff were very helpful and practical. I arranged everything over the phone and submitted all the necessary paperwork on the website. Ivan took care of all the details of the viewing. Finally, we had a simple and cozy ceremony within a week. We were perfectly satisfied. Definitely, Amherst committed that 'Respectful Care at Reasonable Cost'. I would like to rate them at 6-star if available because they deserve it. Highly recommended if ever you need the funeral and cremation service. read more

Good low cost funeral home, my issue arose when my mothers ashes were delivered to me. The young man was very unprofessional and inappropriate. The final insult was when he asked me for a tip. Then when I shrugged it off, he stuck his hand in my face and said, "no, really" I was absolutely horrified. These are delicate matters and I would HIGHLY suggest Scott keep his word that HE would personally deliver the ashes, or, give a LOT more compassion/empathy training to the kids he is hiring to deliver ashes. Absolutely disgraceful the way his company was represented and how I was treated. read more

I chose Amherst after my dad passed away because we knew he just wanted a cremation, and we didn't want to face any hard selling from a funeral director while we were grieving. Scott at Amherst did a wonderful job with that - he came out to my mother's house in Langley, was kind and patient while explaining everything, and never tried to upsell us. We chose a basic cremation but paid the additional $400 to have the cremation in Vancouver (otherwise they, like a great many funeral homes in the Lower Mainland, ship the body to Washington state to be cremated) and paid an extra $75 for the 'scattering urn' because we will eventually spread the ashes in a place of importance to my dad. This would have been a 5-star review if it weren't for how it all ended. During our initial meeting, and all subsequent discussions, Scott was going to come to my mom's to deliver the ashes, answer any questions we had, and take our payment. I made sure that my mom would have somebody with her when the ashes were to be delivered, because I knew that would be a very painful moment for her, but I had to work. Amherst contacted me in advance of that meeting, asking if we could bump the date up. I requested no changes to the plan, because my mom was under enough strain without trying to reorganize the plans she had for her friend to be there when Scott came by. They agreed on the phone and said there would be no changes. When the planned meeting time came up, it was not Scott who showed up at my mom's house, though. It was his "apprentice" who, by the accounts of my mom and her friend, was maybe 19 years old, and woefully unprepared for this delicate task. My mom opened the door and, without greeting her, he holds up the paper shopping bag containing the urn (which of course contains the remains of her husband of 40 years) and simply says "I'm here for the delivery". Like it was a pizza or a Chinese take-out order. My mom was baffled, but asked him to come inside, which made him equally confused. Apparently this "apprentice" was told he just needed to make a drop off, and was clearly not expecting to interact with a grieving widow. He was extremely nervous and awkward, and he didn't even know that we hadn't paid. Worst of all though, he couldn't answer any of my mom's questions, including how to properly use the scattering urn we'd bought - he just kept repeating "I'm sorry, I don't know" until he eventually got so nervous that he stood up and walked out of the house without saying goodbye. To say this experience upset her would be a severe understatement. While Scott did eventually get in touch and answer my mom's questions, the fact that she went through that experience really upset me too, and so I wrote to Scott the next day expressing my disappointment. I told him that I wasn't expecting a discount or anything, but wanted to express how upset I was, since I was the one that chose Amherst and now feel responsible for my mom's bad experience. He didn't even write back to me. The funeral industry gets a bad rap for upselling people when they are vulnerable, but at least they're being attentive. Amherst didn't try to upsell us, but they were negligent at the worst possible time. Pay the extra money and avoid my mistake - I don't want anyone else's mom to be as distraught as mine was that day. read more

Amherst has a very clear, transparent and user-friendly website. On the telephone, their staff and on-call services were always very professional and very quick to return my messages, no matter what time I left them. Scott has all the right gifts to be working in this industry and I won't hesitate to use Amherst for my father, when the time comes. I should also plan to have them lined up for myself as well. Moreover, I was most pleasantly surprised to see that a bamboo shroud was available for my dear mum's recent Witness Cremation. Her faith was steadfast and unwavering; I know she would have been very pleased to have known about this option beforehand. I've never particularly liked caskets (especially when cremation is the only option for us) and as an ecologist with strong faith, the cloth shroud was absolutely perfect. We decorated her body with some of her favourite flowers (roses, stock, snapdragons, etc.), and thanks to the shroud, we were able to anoint her head, hands and feet with the perfume she used to wear all those years ago. Last but not least, their prices are extremely reasonable. God bless the team at Amherst. read more

After researching a few funeral and cremation companies, I decided to go with Amherst based on the many positive reviews, the Georgia Straight awards for Best of Vancouver, their very affordable prices and the fact that unlike many other companies they had their prices clearly listed on their website. I prepaid and did the paperwork in advance at their downtown office, and when my father passed away they did everything as advertised in an efficient and timely manner, including delivery of his ashes to my home which was very helpful in a time of great stress. I also really like the memorial pages that they provide for your loved one. My experience with Amherst was very good overall, and I would recommend them to anyone seeking a straightforward cremation package at a reasonable cost. And they never tried to up-sell me on anything or ask me for any additional fees, which is a refreshing way to do business in an industry where companies take advantage of those who are grieving. read more

I admit it-I chose Amherst based on the low price for cremation services but I was hesitant. I would like to add to the 5 star reviews others felt compelled to give: Every interaction with Amherst (the original arrangements, on-line documents, payment) was efficient, professional & friendly. I received regular updates and today, my mom's remains arrived by courier, packed with care and including a very useful and unexpected set of documents for dealing with the government. Thank you to Pankisha who managed everything beautifully. read more

I found the funeral directors very helpful can kind. They even came to my home and help fill out the paperwork and get everything sorted out. No one ever tried to up sell me on anything. They were very good to deal with after a sudden death. My Mothers ashes were returned to me 5 days after signing the paper work and I was not required to pay until her remains were delivered. They are also a local business and not part of the massive funeral home corporations. I highly recommend Amherst to help deal with anyone's worst day. read more

My father passed away unexpectedly. It was very difficult for our family especially during this pandemic. Christian offered good advices and excellent services. He was courteous and professional. All the staffs were very helpful. Due to social distancing, we were able to arrange everything over the phone and had a small ceremony. read more

My suggestion is that if you require a low cost provider - Read the Contract very very carefully. Do not rely on even the most basic verbal "promises". Have an independent friend witness or tape every conversation. In my opinion, Its a bit like flying on an ultra low cost airline and paying extra to use the toilet or to get a glass of water. Cremations are done in Blaine, WA. While this is written in the fine print on the backside of the Contract, there is a red maple leaf and mention of the company being, "Canadian". To my mind a company using a crematorium in a foreign country - even if they own it does not fit my personnel definition of a "local" service provider. I wouldn't hire them again even to cremate a stray cat. read more

How weird is it to review this? Weird. But I'm doing it because it's a brave new world--one where you can find everything and anything you need online, or at least find options. That's exactly what I did when I realized I'd need services of the kind Amherst provides. Their website is 'to the point'. It provides all the information you need and no extraneous details or fine print. At times like this, you want everything to be easy, clear, simple, straight-forward, and professional, all with the right amount of compassion. That is exactly what we got. Exactly, making it just a bit easier to move forward and focus on everything else. read more

The services provided by Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services were very professional throughout all stages of the entire process, for example, picking up the body. in addition, all of the staff with whom I have had conversations with were all very respectful, polite and most helpful. When I mentioned that it was hard for me to get to their office on bus because of the Covid-19 situation with transit, I was told that they would deliver the ashes and the death certificate package to my home. The driver, who dropped the package off, was also very polite and courteous and friendly - the whole business was well-wrapped up. Thank you all at Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services Inc. Would readily recommend thsi service to others. Seelochan B. read more

My father passed away unexpectedly in June and I had to fly to Vancouver from Quebec to deal with all of his affairs. I found Amherst online and have been deeply impressed by their service - Scott McFarlane's customer service and interpersonal skills are beyond reproach. I contacted Amherst via email and received an immediate response. Everyone at Amherst was extremely knowledgeable, and there were no hidden fees or pressures to upgrade the cremation package I was looking for. Scott made an appointment to come and see me at my hotel the next morning, and made dealing with the loss of a parent about as bearable as it can be. He provided some invaluable tips and checklists that have greatly aided me in settling my father's estate. I would highly recommend Amherst to everyone. Scott and his crew do an outstanding job. read more

When my mother's condition seemed not able to last for long, I arranged a preneed care with Amherst for my mom. In this pandemic time, it's good I can arrange all things online. Half a month later, my mother passed away. I called Amherst in the hospital and let the hospital knew that I have entrusted Amherst to take care of my mom. Then I went home to take care of all the rest documents on Amherst's website. I have reviewed those documents before when I chose Amherst and had all info ready. A week later, Amherst delivered my mom's ashes and all the documents to my door. Later, I also submitted all the materials to Amherst to put on the memorial page of their website. I am satisfied with all their services. Though not 100% perfect, but is very good and efficient. read more

Right from the first point of Contact (the website and then the in-person visit) everything about Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services has been superb. Scott provided excellent care at the in-person visit. Of course, we were sad and disoriented and Scott was calm, kind and credible. I was able to make good choices about the disposition of the remains - including taking up an ecological option which matters to me and my family. The level of professionalism is perfect. The cost is right. My Mother's ashes were returned to me as promised along with the death certificates and other necessary paperwork. I can not commend Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services more highly. read more

In a space of 27 days I lost both my parents, here in Vancouver. The grief and sorrow was soothed by the excellent care Scott provided. Scott met us at the hospital. Everything was done with professionalism and at the same time, just the right amount of personal touch. Everything from the explanation and even the information needed after the death was seamless, at one point he even suggested ways for us to be more economical. The support from Christian in coming through under tight deadlines and constant changes to printing the cards with graciousness has to be commended as well as how comfortable James made us feel when he returned the ashes. Roblyn, helpful and polite regardless, how many times I called, all added to the best experience one can have under these circumstances. Very good value. Highly Highly recommended if ever you need this service read more

We originally chose Amherst because their web site was helpful and actually quoted prices. They were easy to get through to and responded quickly. They moved fast when my dad died and were patient as my mom pestered them with weird and repetitive questions. I can't imagine the funeral and cremation process being easier and more painless than it was with Amherst. read more

Due to the complicated and time-sensitive nature of cremating my deceased mother, -- which involved travelling to Europe to transport her ashes -- I wanted to ensure that the right funeral home takes on the job prior to signing the contract. The Director Scott McFarlan assured me and guaranteed the process to be short and prompt, however it turned out to be the opposite. At every step, starting with the transferring of the body from the hospital to the morgue, cremation, communication with the consulate, the return of the ashes back to my family took an unreasonably longer time than had been promised. At the end of all this, the ashes were returned only 24 days after her death. As the events progressed, it was extremely difficult to get a hold of Mr. McFarlan or even his administrative staff. Most of my calls went unanswered by him and many not even returned. I had to physically go down to the funeral home if I wanted to discuss my concerns. I would understand if the reasons for delays were explained but instead all the staff at the funeral home kept us in the dark and even after visiting Mr. McFarlan at his office, I left without any updates, clarification and reasoning for the delays. I expected more professional care from Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services and I am disappointed. I am still grieving and due to the incompetence of these services, my grieving period has been prolonged. The carelessness of Mr. McFarlan contributed to my post traumatic stress. I will be informing my friends and family about this experience and wish that no other family experience the type of service that I received, especially given the difficulty of the situation. With this review my hopes are that the director, Scott McFarlan, will act more professionally in such sensitive situations. read more

Highly recommend. They were very efficient, thorough and easy to deal with. Made a difficult process easier to get through.

I had an opportunity to use Amherst Cremation Care late 2011. They responded promptly, and their price was considerably lower than two other cremation companies I contacted. A representative from Amherst came to my home to do the paperwork. He told me the total cost and deliverables, which included the death certificate with 12 certified copies. He was a great help in providing guidance on all the procedures after a death (he supplied a checklist), and even provided a dossier of the forms and letters to file with the required government and financial institutions. They also placed the obituary with the local newspapers. I was happy with their service and would recommend this company to anyone seeking a reasonably priced cremation service. read more

My mother passed away while visiting Vancouver from abroad. The staff at Amherst are professional, straight forward, no fuss but sincere. Competitively priced. They removed a lot of stress from a very difficult situation. Highly recommend. read more

In response to Amherst dated 11/11/2013. Below is the timeline of the event: April 17, 2013 - Contract was written for $3336.60. Signed by my brother in-law, also known as the deceased son's. Let's just name him "George" (for privacy). April 19, 2013 - I called Scott to clarify the contract signed. I also made an appointment for my husband and Scott to meet at his office on April 22, 2013 to pay and solidify our verbal agreement; $3300 ALL INCLUSIVE. April 22, 2013 - Scott didn't showed at the meeting, FLAKE NUMBER 1. April 26, 2013 - Day of service, I handed the check for $3300.00. July 2013 - Chris (Scott's partner) wants us to pay $350.00. The family and I responded to Chris that we will not pay the $350. The $3300 we paid included everything. October 2013 - We asked Scott to issue a receipt. Scott, Chris,my husband and I went back and forth through emails about this receipt and asked if they can at least issue a receipt for the $3300 we paid them. Scott and Chris said "No". Scott will not honor our verbal agreement of $3300, FLAKE NUMBER 2 Since the receipt is important for my mother-in-law. I referred back to the contract. Contract amount: $3336.60 Amount paid: $3300.00 Balance owing at the time of writing $36.60 - which we agree to pay. NOTE: THERE IS NO CONTRACT FOR THE $350 THAT CHRIS HAS BEEN CLAIMING FOR. IF THERE IS A CONTRACT PLEASE EMAIL THE CONTRACT SO WE CAN PAY YOU ASAP. October 24, 2013 - Our mediator (prefer not to mention the name for privacy) left a message on my phone that Scott and Chris will issue a receipt. I hope this is not FLAKE NO. 3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In addition: 1) Contract signed by George was on our behalf. We live in Los Angeles, California, USA. For logistics purpose we asked George to sign it as he lives in Richmond, B.C. Canada. 2) George doesn't want to respond to your phone call or emails because your claims are "baseless" in short "non-sense". SO PLEASE STOP WAITING AND HARASSING. 3) @Scott, the meeting set up at your office on April 22 was to solidify our verbal agreement on April 19. That was the time to re-write new contract, clarify matters etc., but you didn't showed up. Can you take some accountability due to the fact that you didn't do DUE DILIGENCE". 4) @Scott and Chris, you keep referring to the contract with George. Here is reality for you.....I and my husband paid the bulk of the $3300. This is why the family checks with us if we are OK with the amount. Furthermore, since you want us to base our arguments using the contract....we only owe you $36.60. 5) We will send you a payment of $36.60 ASAP. Please issue a receipt....and MOVE ON. read more

I give Amherst a ZERO. This is Sept 2014. My Family hired Amherst. I learned from my Family to look at the dates now of reviews before I hire them. Amherst stands for amateur. Steve lied to me and my Family. Always be weary about business that advertise prices on their website. Tracy read more

I highly recommend Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services - not only is their pricing competitive and fair, they go the extra mile by providing excellent service, value added services and perhaps most importantly, no sales pressure to spend more. I found it easy to do all the paperwork on-line and the few questions I had were answered promptly and courteously. Having my aunt's ashes delivered to my home was an added touch I was not expecting, and the information package they provide (sample letters and checklists) is proving to be very helpful. read more

I too found Amherst online. It was such a pleasure to deal with Scott McFarlane. He made an appointment and he came to my house. He was upfront with all the costs, knowledgable, very personable and was a wealth of information about the next steps I have to take and affairs that needed to be taken care of. I would highly recommend Scott and Amherst. read more

Well, I never thought I would be writing a review for one of these places but these guys deserve every one of the above stars for making a trying time that much less trying. They were helpful, efficient and upfront about the cost (no hidden extras or up selling which I really appreciated). They were respectful but also didn't blink and eye when I wanted my SO cremated in just his punk rock t-shirt and his ashes stored in a growler. They delivered him to my home along with death certificates and some very helpful information about what I needed to do with regard to the 'admin' side of things. Thank you, Amherst. You are a class act and a great business. I cannot praise you highly enough. read more

Very good people to handle the cremation of your loved one.Attention to detail,and Scott is knowledgeable about all your questions,regarding estate planning,and everything else to do with,your passing loved one.Beautiful stationary,multiple copies of death certificates,and a to do checklist,are some of the benefits of dealing,with Amherst.Scott visited me a number of times,as well as contact,over the phone,and emails.I felt relieved,to have my passed aunt's affairs,in order. read more

In a very difficult time with our family's loss and the painful journey leading up to it Amherst took away the stress of the details and allowed us to focus on our grief. We filled out paperwork ahead of time, made a call when needed and they moved quietly and professionally behind the scenes. They responded quickly to any questions and met 100% of our expectations. read more

I sat down with another funeral home to make arrangements for my Mom's funeral prior to calling Amherst. They wanted insane amounts of money for the most basic of service. I needed to be able to have a service in a couple of days because my wife needed to be back in the U.S. Amherst was fast, very professional, very affordable and exceeded my expectations. As a business manager myself, I am huge on customer service. Scott McFarlane's customer service is some of the best I've seen if not the best. I very highly recommend Amherst's top notch service. read more

Losing a loved one is a very painful time. Amherst made it less stressful. They were kind, compassionate, and very professional. I'd recommend their services to anyone. read more

Amherst Cremation services was excellent. Of course it is a service you don't want to use but when the need arises I would definitely recommend Amherst. Their staff were professional and understanding whether on the phone or in person. There were no sales pitch to try and get us to upgrade or to purchase services we did not want. read more

We went with the simple cremation package and the viewing. Scott and Chris were very prompt at calling us back after we filled the information online. The whole process was straightforward and simple. They even provided letters to cancel passport, SIN, and etc. They also provided multiple copies of the death certificate, which were very useful. read more

This was the first time we had to use this type of service. Scott came to our home and provided us exceptional service. He led us through everything that would be done and explained the process. The advice he gave us has proven to be invaluable. We would recommend Amherst to everyone. read more