Hayes addresses the audience prior to Stephanie Mercier of PME Inter Notaries.
Peter L.Smith
Hayes addresses the audience prior to Stephanie Mercier of PME Inter Notaries.
Peter L.Smith
L’ISLE-AUX-ALLUMETTES – Forty community members gathered for an information session hosted by Greg Hayes, owner of Hayes Funeral Homes at the Harrington Community Centre, Chapeau on July 29th, to discuss funerals, wills, and estate planning. Also attending was Stephanie Mercier, a notary from PME Inter Notaries.
Hayes spoke about the history of his business and informed attendees of his recent purchase of Ringrose Funeral Home’s locations in Fort-Coulonge and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes after the bankruptcy of the former owner. The Hayes Funeral Home group now has locations in Quyon, Shawville, Fort-Coulonge and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes. Hayes assured everyone that any money paid to Ringrose Funeral Home for prearrangements are guaranteed as they were placed in trust and are protected by the Consumer Protection Agency. “We are open to suggestions about what you may want to see us do here in Chapeau,” he noted.
Hayes described how funerals have changed over the years from a time when wakes were held in family homes and cremation was nonexistent. ‘’We have our own crematorium in Shawville, which allows us to provide this service to families. Some families wish to have a slideshow during the wake and we can arrange this. The funeral home is for family members during their time of grief and we will try to assist in any way possible,” Hayes stressed.
Hayes also discussed different options for prepaid funerals. “If a funeral is prepaid with us and that person passes away in a different city, the family may still have our staff handle the arrangements to transport the loved one back for the funeral. Should they choose to have the funeral in a different region, we would refund the payment with interest to the family.”
Mercier answered questions about different types of wills, the difference between wills in Quebec and Ontario, succession issues, probate costs, power of attorney, common law spouses and their rights of inheritance, and deaths as a result of automobile accidents.
An information package was available to everyone attending the information session.
