Why Winnipeg funeral directors want the province to include them as essential workers

Funeral directors want to be essential workers Local funeral directors are calling on the province to include them as essential workers.

WINNIPEG — Winnipeg funeral directors are calling on the province to include them as essential workers, because without the designation, they're limited in getting enough personal protective equipment.

“If you think about what a funeral director does in an average day, we're in morgues, we're in hospitals, we're in touch with doctors and nurses. We work side by side with them, and the most important thing is we're in care homes and they're not allowing families in care homes, but they're allowing funeral directors in care homes," said Michael Vogiatzakis, general manager of Voyage Funeral Home.

On Monday, Ontario's provincial government announced its list of essential services and workplaces, includes funeral services.

VIRTUAL SERVICES

Voyage Funeral Home is shifting to virtual memorial services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This allows families to tune in from all over the place, all over the world, people that can't travel, people that can't be with us, families who are quarantined, it allows them to be at the service and it allows them to have closure," said Vogiatzakis.

The virtual services are streamed from the funeral home's chapel and follow the same format as regular services.