At the Heart of Mount-Royal
BRIMMING WITH LIFE
Immerse yourself in a verdant setting of great biodiversity by listening to these natural sounds captured at the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery.
A Living Place's Legacy
The choice of a cemetery can become a significant legacy with a lasting positive impact on those we love, those who remain, and even on the planet itself.
With its remarkable biodiversity and many ecologically conscious initiatives, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is not just a choice one makes; it is a legacy one leaves behind. The legacy of a place brimming with life.
A place where wildlife and vegetation coexist in a vast natural sanctuary. Where thousands of plants, trees and flowers transform 343 acres of land into a vast and majestic oasis of greenery. Where a hundred species of animals harmoniously cohabit with this lush vegetation.
It's a place where life abounds, engaging all the senses - the sound of branches swaying in the wind, the fragrance of native flowers, the sight of bees at work - like a perfectly orchestrated natural symphony.
Everlasting Memory
Located on Mount Royal, a vast natural haven at the heart of Montreal, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is a sanctuary of greenery and a model of biodiversity and ecological responsibility, seamlessly blending memory and nature.
Serene, pleasant and majestic, the cemetery invites frequent visits in a setting reminiscent of the world's most beautiful parks. It is, in a way, a gift for those who wish to come and pay their respects to one’s memories.
Moreover, at a time when the planet's fate is an increasingly pressing concern for the current generation, and especially those that will follow, the cemetery embodies cherished values through its ecological commitment. Choosing a resting place dedicated to protecting the environment then becomes a tangible manifestation of such values.
A Treasured Arboreal Wonderland
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is home to an astonishing forest, with over 13,500 trees proudly standing on its grounds. Among the most represented species are silver maples, Norwegian maples, horse chestnuts, sugar maples, oak trees, cherry trees, ash trees, spruces, elms, poplars, cedars, weeping willows and more.
Some trees especially stand out, their impressive history deeply rooted in that of the cemetery. In fact, seven of them are included on the list of notable trees compiled by the city of Montreal:
- a 150-year-old silver maple (roughly the same age as Canada itself)
- a honey locust, a rare tree in Canada
- a majestic red ash with an impressive 115 cm diameter trunk
- a 50-year-old Japanese yew
- a 140-year-old Austrian black pine with a canopy twice as wide as it is tall
- two Eastern cottonwood trees with canopies exceeding 30 metres in height
Eco-Responsability & Nature Enhancement
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is not just a burial place. It is also a guardian of biodiversity that places great importance on eco-responsibility. It adheres to policies aimed at preserving the natural and historical heritage of the mountain. For several years, the cemetery has been enhancing natural environments, creating ecological corridors to promote animal migration and completely abstaining from pesticide use on its grounds.
Towards a Greener Future
Aware of environmental challenges and the evolving expectations of its customers, the cemetery is committed to reviewing its landscaping and maintenance practices in order to reduce its environmental footprint. Goals include reducing fossil fuel consumption, decreasing noise pollution, improving waste management, reducing salt and abrasive product usage, lowering water consumption and adapting landscaping practices.
Ongoing Ecological Projects
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery has already implemented several sustainable development projects. One of these is the Remembrance Grove, a section dedicated to the burial of ashes in biodegradable containers beneath young native trees. This environmentally friendly initiative contributes to expanding the city's forest cover, enhancing air quality and biodiversity.
Ecological restoration of grassy areas aims at progressively replacing the grass with native perennial plants, further promoting biodiversity development. The cemetery also encourages visitors to carry out their waste to reduce site pollution.
A Concrete Approach
The cemetery has undertaken the depaving of certain areas, allowing the soil to regain its natural absorption capacity and contributing to rainwater management while also improving air quality. Lighting in the mausoleums has been modernized to reduce electricity consumption through the use of LED lighting controlled by motion sensors. The gradual replacement of gasoline vehicles with electric ones is ongoing, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Wildlife Preservation
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is also a haven for wildlife. Nearly 100 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals find refuge in this sanctuary. Squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, raccoons, striped skunks, white-tailed rabbits and red foxes mingle with visitors.
Numerous bird species also call this place home, from sparrows and red-winged blackbirds to goldfinches and American crows. The Cemetery has developed a threefold wildlife management plan to preserve and enhance the diversity of its fauna and ensure harmonious coexistence.
Life, Now and for the Future
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is a garden of memory, a biodiversity reserve and a model of eco-responsibility, where the past and the future unite for the betterment of nature and humanity.
Here, one chooses a place brimming with life.
Discover Our Green Plan
Where Memories Grow
Whether your preferences are rooted in tradition or grounded in evolution, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery offers a variety of pre-arrangement options to fulfill your final wishes, set within a natural, biodiverse sanctuary where wildlife and vegetation thrive.
Classic or eco-friendly, here, you choose a place that’s teeming with life.
Eco-Friendly Options
Bury your loved one in one of our eco-friendly groves which involves the burial of biodegradable urns under saplings guaranteed to grow into beautiful trees. The deceased's ashes are thus returned to nature, and generations to come can gather around the growing tree, chosen from a selection of native species adapted to the area's environment.
Ecology & Biodiversity
Located in the heart of the historic and natural site of Mount Royal, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery is certified as a haven for biodiversity. It has always developed and managed its activities with respect for the environment.
Our Green Initiatives
The Green Plan is the cemetery's ambitious project to take ecological action to help protect the environment and biodiversity of Mount Royal, a natural site incredibly rich in species of flora and fauna. Our green initiatives also aim to encourage everyone who visits the cemetery to take ecological action; no matter how small, it can have a major impact on the environment in the long term.