Aquamation is often described as the most environmentally friendly disposition method currently available in Quebec. Legal since 2015, it remains little known to the general public — but it is growing in popularity among those who wish to minimize their environmental impact.
How it works
The process — officially called hydrofaction in Quebec — involves placing the body in a stainless steel vessel filled with a solution of water and potassium hydroxide heated to approximately 150°C. The chemical reaction, which lasts 6 to 8 hours, dissolves organic tissue. What remains are bone fragments — similar to the ashes obtained after flame cremation — along with a sterile, pH-neutral aqueous liquid that can be safely discharged into the wastewater system.
What you receive
As with traditional cremation, you receive processed bone fragments (commonly called "ashes"), which you can keep in an urn, scatter, inter in a columbarium, or bury in a memorial forest. The result is in practice identical to that of flame cremation.
Environmental advantages
- 90% fewer carbon emissions than flame cremation
- No mercury emissions (no combustion — dental amalgams are not volatilized)
- No smoke, no toxic gases
- Significantly lower energy consumption
Estimated cost in Quebec
Aquamation typically costs between $2,500 and $4,500 in Quebec, depending on the package chosen and whether a ceremony is included. Prices are comparable to cremation with a service, and slightly higher than direct cremation without a ceremony.
Only provider in Quebec
Currently, Forêt de la Seconde Vie is the only aquamation provider in Quebec. This company also offers memorial forest services, enabling a unique combination: aquamation followed by burial of ashes in a protected forest.
Legal since March 2015
Aquamation was incorporated into Quebec legislation through amendments to the Act Respecting Prearranged Funeral Services and Sepultures (RLRQ, chapter A-23.001) in March 2015. Quebec was among the first Canadian jurisdictions to legalize it.
Updated: March 2026