Human remains of 500 people moved as Toronto cemetery spends $2.5 million to shore up slope
A slope at St. James Cemetery in Toronto is eroding, sparking a $2.5 million project to save cremated human remains of hundreds of people from sliding into the valley.
St. James Cathedral has embarked on a plan to stabilize the slope on the south side of the Rosedale Valley.
“Many of the lots were located close to the slope. People like that, it’s picturesque. But those locations can be compromised by Mother Nature,” said John O’Brien, the director of operations for St. James Cemetery.
He said crews had identified and mapped each of some 500 plots and identified which ones needed to be moved.
“Each was disinterred by hand. They were hand-dug. They were placed into separate containers, and all of those containers were placed in a larger secure container where they will remain until the work is finished,” O’Brien said.
Tens of thousands of people are interred at St. James Cemetery, the oldest still functioning cemetery in Toronto. The graves on this slope were placed between 1960 and 2010.
One of the reasons the slope is disintegrating is because of the Norway Maples, which were planted in the 1960s. They grow faster than native trees and their broad leaves create a thick canopy that crowds out native vegetation with deeper root structures that would have kept the soil more stable.
Some of those trees are being removed as part of the project, O’Brien said. Crews are also placing an interlocking series of piles under the ground that can act as a support structure for the escarpment, as well as adding drainage.
Finding relatives of everyone affected has been a challenge. The cemetery hopes that the publicity will help. O'Brien said they believe this is the largest disinterment in Ontario's history.
He says the cathedral is paying the $2.5 million tab.
“They are the owners of the Cemetery. They have an obligation to maintain these graves in perpetuity,” he said.
“The thought is at the end of it, it will be secure for generations to come,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.