What Families Can Learn from Nova Scotia's Ash‑Storage Scandal

East Coast Memorial, the company that recently purchased Serenity Funeral Home in Coldbrook, announced that staff had found a “significant number” of cremated remains still sitting in the crematorium’s storage rooms.

Some families, including Kristina Sweeney and Michelle Carey, were later called to learn that the ashes they believed they had buried were actually still in the funeral home’s vault.

Andrew George, East Coast Memorial’s owner, said his team is reviewing records to locate each family and arrange a proper return or a respectful community burial for any remains that cannot be claimed.

The province responded quickly. Service Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors sent two inspectors to the site on Sept. 10, after being alerted on Sept. 9 by the board and by George.

Tony Facey, who ran Serenity for 12 years until December 2025, confirmed that some of the stored ashes date back as far as 25 years and noted that unclaimed cremains are a broader issue across the industry.

Serenity lost its licence after the sale, and a separate 2018 mix‑up of two bodies at another Serenity location prompted legislative reforms that took effect in 2025, tightening oversight of funeral homes.

For grieving families, the scandal shows why it is vital to obtain written confirmation of ash handling, keep personal records, and stay in touch with the funeral provider until the remains are finally laid to rest.

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