Pet urns in Montreal: sizes, costs and engraving
From a simple wooden box to a sculpted figurine, pet urns vary a lot in price and lead time. This page helps families in Montreal choose calmly, with real price ranges.
- Sized from your pet's weight
- Local crematory urns vs online makers
- No obligation, we reply by email
Montreal, Quebec
Buying an urn locally or online in Montreal
Mount Royal, the Lachine Canal and the banks of the St. Lawrence are places many Montrealers want to connect to a memorial. Before scattering ashes in a public park or waterway, check the rules. A biodegradable urn or a tree planting in a garden, at a cottage or on family land outside the city is what many families choose instead, and a small engraved stone can mark the spot.
Montreal's long winters shape memorial choices: a garden stone or tree planting has to wait until spring thaw, so many families start with an urn indoors and add an outdoor memorial later. A hardy tree or shrub suited to Quebec's climate is a good choice for a planting. There is no rush; ashes can stay safely at home until the season and your own readiness line up.
Most private cremation packages in Montreal already include something to bring the ashes home in, from a plain tin to a simple wooden urn. Before you buy separately, ask exactly what's included and whether the crematory will swap the standard container for an upgrade at a price difference rather than full retail. If you already own an urn, some providers will place the ashes into it for you if you drop it off in time.
Montreal's population is around 1,780,000, the largest of the 3 Quebec communities we cover.
For a second opinion on price, Laval (10 miles), Ottawa (103 miles) and Quebec City (145 miles) are close enough that their providers cover Montreal routinely. Two written quotes tell you more than any price list.
81.1%[1]
CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030.
$20–$100[2]
Memorials.com puts ceramic pet urns at $20–$100.
$30–$150[3]
Memorials.com puts wooden pet urns at $30–$150.
3-5% of body weight[4]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
We built the this numbers from Memorials.com and Embrace Pet Insurance, and both are worth a look if you want the detail.
Why urns are common in Canada
With roughly 81.1%[1] of people in Canada cremated, the question locally isn't whether to keep ashes but how. That's where urn choice comes in. Many people here have inherited a relative's urn and have strong opinions about what they'd do differently: a smaller size, a lid that screws shut, a material that doesn't show dust. Those lessons apply just as well to a pet.
CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030) is where the Canada figure comes from. It counts people; we use it because attitudes to cremating a pet in Montreal tend to follow attitudes to cremation generally.
Timing a burial or scattering in Montreal
Weather mostly matters for anything you do outdoors. Frost can crack porous ceramic and stone left outside, strong sun fades wood and printed photos, and damp rooms tarnish brass. Indoors, in a lived-in room away from heaters and direct sun, almost any urn will last for decades. Keep the ashes in their sealed bag inside the urn for extra protection.
How much to budget for an urn
Canadian crematories often publish their urn prices. One in British Columbia lists ceramic ginger-jar urns at CA$43–$70[5], wooden photo urns at CA$68–$88[6] (a nameplate is CA$15 extra[6]) and brass urns at CA$99–$128[7], depending on size. Providers in Montreal will usually be in a similar range. Ordering from a US seller can look cheaper, but duties, exchange rates and cross-border shipping often close the gap.
We keep the detailed Quebec price table on one page so it stays current: see Quebec prices.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Scattering and burial rules in Quebec
If you rent in Montreal, burying an urn in the yard needs your landlord's agreement, and homeowners' associations can have their own rules. Scattering on public land is usually tolerated when done discreetly, but it isn't always permitted. The notes below cover the basics for Quebec; your city or county has the final word.
In Canada, many pet crematories publish their urn prices in Canadian dollars, which makes comparison easier. Ordering from a US website can add duties, brokerage fees and delays, and a broken ceramic urn is hard to return across the border. Winter weather can also slow deliveries, so order engraved urns early if you're planning a spring burial or scattering.
The Quebec page sets out who oversees pet cremation and what the state says about burial and scattering. Montreal's own bylaws can sit on top of that, so ask before you dig.
How to get from ashes to urn
- Decide whether each pet gets its own urn or whether you'd like a matching set that grows over the years.
- Pick a design that will still be made later, or one a local maker can repeat, if a match matters to you.
- Size each urn for one pet; buying a companion urn for two is best left until you actually have both sets of ashes.
- Label the base of every urn with a name and dates, even if the front is engraved, so they're never mixed up.
- Leave shelf space next to the first urn, so that adding another later doesn't mean moving everything around.
- File each crematory certificate with its urn, in an envelope taped underneath or kept together in a drawer.
Remembering your pet, in Montreal and beyond
Many Montreal owners keep ashes in an urn at home, sized for an apartment shelf or mantel. If you might move again, a sturdy urn with a secure lid travels well. Ask about a paw print or nose print before cremation, and about dividing a small portion of ashes for cremation jewellery or keepsake urns if family members want a share.
run the numbers with the free planning tools, Our services overview lays out every option side by side, there are guides for the big decisions and articles for the details, or compare your instinct with the poll results. If you live between Montreal and Quebec City and Laval, either page applies. Every other community in Quebec, and all of Canada, is listed too.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Will your pet's ashes stay together or be shared?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How would you move the ashes from the temporary container into the urn?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Ashes sharing planner
Split ashes fairly between family members, keepsake urns and jewelry.
Questions people ask
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Montreal?
Usually yes. Laval is about 10 miles away, Ottawa is about 103 miles away and Quebec City is about 145 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
How do Canada attitudes to cremation compare?
CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030) puts the Canada human cremation rate at about 81.1%[1]. We show it on the Montreal page because pet aftercare choices tend to track it: where cremation is normal for people, communal and private pet cremation are both easy to find.
How do I make sure the engraving is right?
Ask for a written or digital proof before anything is engraved, and check the spelling of your pet's name, the dates and any line breaks. Have someone else read it too. Engraving can't be undone. Our guide to engraving and photo urn lead times explains what to check at each step.
Do I have to buy an urn right away?
No. After a private cremation, the ashes come back in a sealed temporary container, usually a bag inside a box or tin, and they're safe in it indefinitely. Many families in Montreal wait a few weeks, or even months, before choosing an urn. Waiting often leads to a better choice, because the first days after a loss aren't the easiest time for design decisions.
Is it cheaper to buy a pet urn locally or online?
Online prices often look lower, but shipping, engraving and the risk of a breakage can close the gap. A crematory's counter price is convenient and the urn is sized to the ashes. Compare the total delivered price of the exact urn you want, engraved, rather than headline prices. The memorial budget planner helps you add it up.
Can I see pet urns in person in Montreal before buying?
Usually yes. Many pet crematories in a city the size of Montreal keep display cabinets, and some memorial suppliers and craft studios have showrooms. Handling an urn tells you its real weight, finish and how the lid works. Call ahead to ask what's on display, and bring your pet's weight so you can check capacity on the spot.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030. CANA Industry Statistical Information, 2030.
- [2] Memorials.com puts ceramic pet urns at $20–$100. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [3] Memorials.com puts wooden pet urns at $30–$150. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [4] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [5] Okanagan Pet Cremation's ceramic ginger-jar pet urns cost CA$43–$70, from petite (under 15 lb) to large (50–120 lb). Okanagan Pet Cremation – Urns, 2026.
- [6] A Canadian pet crematory (Okanagan Pet Cremation) sells wooden photo urns for CA$68–$88 by pet size, plus CA$15 for a nameplate. Okanagan Pet Cremation – Urns, 2026.
- [7] Brass pet urns at Okanagan Pet Cremation cost CA$99 (up to 50 lb) or CA$128 (50–100 lb); slate paw urns cost CA$99–$140. Okanagan Pet Cremation – Urns, 2026.
- [8] At a $50 average, engraving is about half the price of a typical $98 wooden pet urn from a crematory catalog. Our estimate: $50 (average engraving) / $98 (Final Gift typical wood urn). How we calculate.
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