Courtenay funeral provider helps bilked Powell River family

A grieving Powell River family has received some solace after Toneff Funeral Services in Courtenay offered to provide a free grave marker after the family was left in a lurch by a now-defunct funeral provider.

Last fall, Robert Dufour paid Westcoast Funeral Services of Powell River more than $650 for a grave marker that never materialized. After dealing for months with what he calls “lies and excuses,” he says an email from Toneff Funeral Services owner Eric Toneff was a breath of fresh air.

“He reached out and basically said he didn’t like how I was treated or that someone in his industry had completely failed me,” recalls Dufour. “He said he wanted to look after our needs and agreed to supply a marker for no cost.”

“This is the kind of regrettable situation that gives our industry a bad name,” says Toneff. “So when I found out the family had paid for but never received their headstone, I made arrangements to have one supplied.”

Powell River’s Westcoast Funeral Services had its licence suspended earlier this summer as “the result of repeated failure to pay licensing fees as well as a recent and ongoing investigation into the business practices,” according to a press release issued in July by Consumer Protection B.C. (CPBC). Westcoast Funeral Services has since closed its doors and had its licence fully cancelled.

In his 25 years in the funeral business, Toneff says this is the first time he’s seen a funeral services company have its licence cancelled for what CPBC classifies as “Deceptive Acts or Practices.”

“Obviously, that wasn’t the first instance of questionable business practices from this outfit, as we were only one of several businesses to lodge a complaint with the CPBC,” he says. “When I was alerted to the circumstances, I contacted one of our suppliers and we agreed to cover the cost of the headstone.

“As rarely as something like this happens, I still find it absolutely repugnant when it does,” he adds. “Unfortunately, when people are in need of funeral services it’s often a very vulnerable time. They’re not in a position, mentally or emotionally, to properly deal with things like customer satisfaction and consumer rights. That’s why there are laws and guidelines in place to protect the consumer.”

Preplanning today, and establishing a rapport with a funeral provider, he says, can eliminate some of the mental, emotional and financial stress that accompanies a death.

“You or your family members will have to work closely with your funeral provider during a most difficult time. You want to be certain that you have a good relationship with a licensed funeral director you trust.”

For further information about your consumer rights, call Consumer Protection B.C. at 1-888-564-9963 or visit www.consumerprotectionbc.ca. Eric Toneff can be reached directly at 250-338-4463, or online at www.tonefffunerals.com.