Consumer rights and death care ft. David Brazeau (#040)

Podcast Episode Description

What does it take to navigate the evolving bereavement sector and make informed decisions about death care services? In this episode, Maria sits down with David Brazeau, communications manager at the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO), to explore the changing landscape of funeral homes, crematoriums, and consumer protection in the death care industry.

David shares his journey from journalism to his current role at the BAO, where he focuses on education, communication, and public awareness. They discuss topics like alternative death care practices, including alkaline hydrolysis, and the importance of the preservation of historical cemeteries. David also emphasizes the importance of consumer rights, accessibility through social media, and how the BAO’s digital magazine, Beyond, aims to demystify the bereavement sector for the public.

What you'll learn:

• What the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) does to protect consumer rights in the death care industry
• An introduction to alternative death care options like alkaline hydrolysis (aquamation) and green burials
• The importance of preserving historical cemeteries and what that process looks like
• Insights into the regulation and oversight of funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries
• How storytelling and education through platforms like Beyond magazine help inform the public

Links:

• Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO): thebao.ca
• Beyond Magazine: Explore Beyond
• Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act
• Radical Death Studies
• Hidden cemeteries of Essex County hold Underground Railroad history via CBC
• Why these historians are restoring the graves of former slaves via TVO
• Respecting and remembering those buried in Canada’s first Black Cemeteries via BAO

 

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