Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Apr 21/00) - The town of Inuvik has adopted two new cemetery bylaws concerning cemetery operation and perpetual care.

Inuvik senior administrative officer Don Howden says residents now have the choice of digging graves themselves or having the town hire its contractor, Davis Construction, to do the work.

"I looked at the laws in Fort Smith, Hay River and Yellowknife to try to come up with the best possible situation for ourselves," he said. "I did clarify the existing bylaw to make provision for families who want to use the grave-opening and closing as part of their healing process."

Howden said he also tried to beef up the cemetery bylaw regarding vandalism, increasing fines covering issues such as failure to erect a marker, clear rubbish or leash animals while visiting the cemetery.

"The last bylaw was from 1983 and needed a facelift," he said.

The town's cemetery policy became an issue earlier this year over the question of a family's right to open and close a grave and not be charged the full, regular cost of internment. A debate in council followed and Howden said the new bylaws reflect the town's decision to accommodate families' wishes.

He said families now have the right to pay for only the restoration and perpetual-care costs associated with burial -- $550 -- while performing their own opening and closing services if they wish. For those who opt for the contractor, Howden said the fees have gone up: from $1,800 to $2,200 for the opening and from $250 to $300 for the closing.

"It's not meant to be a profit-making business," he said. "We're just trying to reflect the costs to us and trying to manage it on a user-basis."