Bedford funeral home providing full service send-offs at reduced rates

A new funeral service in the Halifax area is offering funerals for about half of what others cost.

T.J. Tracey Cremation and Burial Services in Bedford, N.S. offers cremations at about $1,800 and funerals starting at $4,700.

“There are a lot of families that would see value in giving high-end service which we do and affordable pricing,” said funeral director Trevor Tracey.

Judy McClusky, whose husband of 50 years died on Sept. 25, said all she wanted to do was celebrate his life.

So she gave Tracey a call.

“He made the hardest days of my life as simple as possible for me,” said McClusky.

The 72-year-old says the funeral will now be in the $5,000 range – and for her, the price is important.

“When you're a senior on a fixed income, money is something that you learn that you have to manage quickly,” said McClusky.

Tracey says additional costs that his funeral home takes care of for grieving families include a cemetery plot, a headstone or an obituary.

“We outsource our visitations, memorials services (and) celebrations of life,” said Tracey.

But not everyone’s happy with the discounted rates, including members of the Funeral Service Association of Nova Scotia.

“There is a market for families that want a certain amount of service for that price,” said Jonathan Demont, president of the association. “I don't think that's a long-term approach for his business.”

Tracey declared bankruptcy for a funeral business he had in Annapolis Valley in 2009 after he had about $2 million in outstanding debts.

But McClusky says even with that information, it wouldn’t have affected her decision.

She says Tracey deserves full marks for starting over.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Rick Grant.