Funeral Service Association of Canada (FSAC)

 Funeral Service Association of Canada

History of FSAC

The collective voice of funeral professionals has a long and proud tradition in Canada.

The early roots of the national association in Canada go back to 1921, when the Canadian National Funeral Directors Association was founded. National representation of funeral professionals was further strengthened in 1954, with the establishment of the "Funeral Directors Association of Canada".

Early objectives of the association were to promote the common interests of its members and to foster among them high professional ideals of public service; enlighten public opinion in relation to funeral service and to the need for enacting and enforcing proper, just and uniform laws pertaining to funeral directing and embalming in Canada.

The association, whose national board was made up of representatives from provincial funeral associations, helped establish a foundation for a strong national voice for funeral professionals in Canada.

Early efforts of the national association included government consultations with the federal departments of Veterans Affairs, National Defense, Indian Affairs, Consular Services, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. These consultations addressed a number of issues affecting the funeral profession and the Canadian public. Other issues on the national agenda of the association included educational standards for funeral professionals, establishing ties with international funeral associations and educating the public about funeral service.

In 1978, the national association was renamed the Funeral Service Association of Canada and evolved into a strong national association, with representation on its national board from all provincial funeral associations, and the national funeral supply association.