A belated thanks to Amherst. I am compelled to write given our fantastic experience with your company. A friend of one of my sister's had suggested Amherst as a good and reasonably priced funeral home. So when our mother passed away in September, I phoned them early one Saturday morning and left a voice mail message. I was surprised to receive a return call immediately from Scott, one of the owners of Amherst, and although I had gone through the funeral experience for my Dad years ago, I couldn't remember too much, save for the negatives. Scott was very reassuring, understanding and kind over the phone, answered my questions and gave me an overview of what the pricing would look like, suggested I go online to see it visually, and offered help if I had further questions. There was no pressure to go with him. After a brief discussion with my siblings, we chose Scott and Amherst, and am so glad we did. After providing him with some basic information about our Mom, he told me not to worry, he'd send his team members to move our Mom's body after the coroner, who he knew, had signed off. We had to schedule a meeting and he offered to come meet us, which blew me away. Since we siblings had arranged to meet a few days later at my Mom's house, I asked if he could meet us there that evening, and he readily agreed. Not meeting in a dark, forlorn funeral home set the tone. Scott was prompt/early, easy to talk to and not pushy; he gave us a folder with all the information we'd need. Scott is a third generational funeral services man. Amherst liaised with Mountain View Hall, our caterer and florist, as well as the cemetery where our Mom was eventually buried. He also noted he doesn't accept payment in advance--said we had enough things to worry about. Scott is practical and although he sells a variety of caskets, he recommended an excellent and more reasonably priced one which we went with. Despite not having had a traditional Chinese service for our Mom, we did incorporate some aspects into her Celebration of Life. It was reassuring to know that Scott and his business partner, Christian, had both worked for years at a funeral home in Chinatown, so were able to advise us on those traditions we did include. Scott and Christian are both very responsive, professional and helpful. Scott suggested Celebration Hall at Mountain View Cemetery for the Celebration of Life and recommended a florist. We were so happy with both. Celebration Hall is a classy venue that has a beautiful view of the trees and greenery on the children's side of the cemetery, but you don't see grave markers (maybe if you look hard enough you would). It was peaceful, bright, with 2 "walls" of almost floor-to-ceiling windows, and yet still an intimate feeling. We loved the venue which again, gave a cosier feel for the catered reception we had in the hallway. And plenty of (free) parking all around the Hall. We spent a lot of time on the Memorial Card--print and online--initially with Scott and then, with Christian, who deals more with these details and music, etc. Two of my siblings had put together a great slide show with our chosen music. While guests were filing in and the slide show was running, Christian suggested we use Amherst music so ours would have more effect and freshness when played during the service. He was spot on and their selections were ones we all loved. When we'd organized our father's service years ago at a large funeral home, we were not happy with it. That "corporation" up-sold us on everything and together with our Dad's relatives, had basically pushed us into making it into a very melancholy, traditional service and one that, regrettably and honestly, wasn't as moving, lovely or meaningful as our Mom's. Scott, Christian and Amherst made us very happy. I was so pleased with their thoughtful service to us and I loved my Mom's Celebration of Life and know that she would've loved it as well! Thank you for having made her passing less sad and the entire experience as stress-free and memory-filled as possible! Warmly, Christina & Family

NOTE: had to post this review from another email as I could only leave one review. I thought it was important to post both my experiences with Amherst as they were 6 years apart, but still the same great service! My mom passed away in July. But this time around it was less stressful because we already went through the stress 6 years ago when my dad passed away. And luckily at that time, I relentlessly searched and found Amherst, a better alternative than the funeral home we had visited! This time, we contacted Amherst the day my mom passed away and they transferred her from the hospice to the morgue for us. I was surprised that they had an automated system and other staff as 6 years ago it was mainly Christian and Scott with some help at the service from another gentleman. So nice to know they have expanded. Can only mean because they are doing well! Scott and Christian came over to meet us at my sister's house. We signed the contract. Contacted them once we booked the Church and didn't worry from there on. At the initial meeting they provided with a beautiful folder of information to help you navigate through it all. It’s a wealth of info that most of us wouldn’t know about...did you know you can apply for CPP survivor benefits? They provide you with everything you need to apply (well except the stamp to mail it off! Lol) Provided Christian with our funeral program computer file, probably only a few days before the service, yet they still managed to get them printed for us in time! I commented to Christian that i was surprised about the quick turn around and he mentioned that they have a great relationship with the mom and pop print shop that they deal with. I guess in their business everything is last minute as everything happens so quickly! Both Scott and Christian were at the service. Christian stood by the sign in table helping hand out programs, memorial cards, etc. Scott was with our family explaining things, etc. Everything went without a glitch. Day of the funeral was pouring rain, but after the funeral mass, it was a beautiful sunny day! My sister and I know that day, mom (and dad) was smiling from above as it was a beautiful celebration! Cost was approximately $4,800 for the funeral and a separate cremation in Vancouver with private viewing of the casket before cremation. Cost would have been considerably less without the viewing for those that don't need as the crematorium hall rental was $850. We were only there for about 30 minutes as we only invited immediate family since we already had a funeral/celebration of life previously. Mom was not viewable like at her funeral but we had her casket at the front of the hall so people could say their last goodbyes. This cost is not outrageous as you could hold a gathering there instead of a church. Not 100% you could do an actual viewing before the cremation as we did one previously already. You'd have to discuss with Christian/Scott if this is what you wanted. Anyhow, really you cannot go wrong, dealing with Amherst in terms of service AND cost! It's something i want to spread to as many people as I can....although it's not something you freely bring up when people are sick, old or even healthy really! Thanks Amherst for being a big part of this important day!

I thought of calling Amherst since I had known about the company through a prior business association and had actually met Scott quite awhile back. What really stuck out to me then was the way he had described the goal of the company... so much so that I actually remembered this 5 years later; his actual real genuine interest to help grieving families afford a quality experience, and the care that he believed was necessary. When my mother-in-law passed away recently, I received lists from the hospital regarding funeral homes. I literally went through calling around 15 places before remembering Amherst (which wasn't on any lists provided). I called and Scott returned my call in a very timely manner. I was really impressed with how he listened to what type of services we wanted and got down to the bottom of how much the TOTAL costs of everything would roughly be (within 5 minutes of conversation!), how soon we could get the process started, and when we could expect the church service. If you have been calling around, you will realize how rare this is - NOBODY prior to that wanted to give me a full estimation or could say roughly when things would take place. He came to us and was very accommodating and informative with everything. He corresponded with the church and priest who was leading the funeral, which saved so much stress for my partner and father-in-law. Literally everything was taken care of and ran smoothly from the time we called to the service, etc. At the funeral he was present and extremely caring a tactful with my father-in-law who has been having an extremely difficult time. This meant so much to us. The prices were the most affordable I had found, they were the most straightforward I had found, one of the most timely I had found, and his dedication to the well-being of the families wishes and needs was amazing. I would highly highly recommend them to anyone going through this difficult time! We are so grateful!

My beloved mum passed away Oct 2013 and with myself and my brother not being local to Vancouver, I felt it would be challenging to find a reputable cremation service that I could trust. I am so glad I picked Amherst due to the great reviews from people who have used their service before me. So I feel it's important to add to the reviews for others that are looking for a trustworthy company in time of grief. I called Amherst and was surprised at how easy it was to make arrangements. No upselling or pressure to "choose now". No walking through a morose funeral home with commission fueled salespeople. Just a very compassionate staff who want to provide you with what YOU want and need. Scott was incredible when I called him just after my Mum's passing. As I cried on the phone, he simply said to me "there is NO rush, take your time and I am just a phone call away". He was very compassionate and superbly helpful. I told him of a special circumstance (we needed the ashes split in 2 and one prepared for overseas transport). No extra charges, no hassle, he simply said "I can do that for you". Scott came to our Mother's home the day after to help us fill out paperwork. That in and of itself was a wonderful gift. To be able to do all of that where I was comfortable was very easy and just what I needed. He also had papers that helped with us getting started on informing people of her passing and how to proceed with her estate. I cannot thank them enough. I could go on and on but you should know Scott was prompt at all times, thorough and supportive. Thank you Amherst for making it easy for us in a terrible time.

We used Amherst for my mother's funeral a few months ago. At first the funeral director Scott was helpful and responsive so we signed a contract to obtain their services. After we signed however it seemed impossible to get a hold of Scott and he didn't return most of our calls. We ended up dealing with multiple people in the office who were nonetheless pleasant to deal with. We were told that Scott was busy but it would have been nice if there were more funeral directors or if there's a dedicated assistant so there's one point of contact instead of dealing with multiple people and having to explain our situation over and over again. Services provided were adequate. There were some minor errors which when we pointed out to them, they said they'd looked into them but never did. The funeral home claims to provide no-hassle services but I find the whole experience was more stressful than it could've been. We had to deal with booking the church and the florist ourselves. I'm not sure if their prices are competitive as we didn't shop around. Overall they did fulfill their contractual obligations but customer service was subpar and I wouldn't recommend it to other people. * Update: Since I posted the review, one of the funeral directors Chris reached out to me to address my concerns. He explained to me why we had to book the church and the florist ourselves and was sincere in accepting my feedback about the lack of communication. I appreciated that he tried to resolve some of my concerns where possible and his receptiveness will help him better serve his customers in the future.

My experience in dealing with Amherst started off positively in the beginning. The office supervisor was responsive and very helpful. As far as things I wish they had done differently, there are several of them. Their very helpful information binder was missed during my first visit to their facilities and only given to me days later when I went by to pick up the first invoice. The useful information in that package could have saved me a ton of time and unnecessary headache. I did not find dealing with the company's owner and director reassuring or helpful. Their email correspondence felt scripted and filled with complicated jargon. And non of the concerns I brought up during the process was really addressed properly. As we got towards the end, I had an incredibly upsetting experience in speaking to the company director over the phone. Sure, I was upset, but I really wish he would have chosen to hear me out instead of threatening to hang up several times if I didn't stop talking, telling me what I was upset about is 'bs' and not his priority and finally hanging up the call. I was left feeling dismissed, disrespected and hurt. The final invoice has now been paid but the company is yet to reach out for any followups to the disconnected phone conversation. If I had to do it over again, I would definitely choose a different funeral home.

I had the unfortunate task of arranging funeral services, and I am compelled to express my gratitude for the outstanding service provided by Amherst Funeral Home. In a time when many funeral homes seem to prioritize profit over compassion, Amherst truly stood out. From my initial contact with Christian, who was the first to respond among several funeral homes, to my interactions with Scott and the rest of the team, I experienced warmth, professionalism, and genuine care. Christian's calming voice and expertise helped guide me through difficult decisions, and the pricing was fair and transparent—refreshingly distinct from the experiences I've heard about in the industry. Despite not meeting Christian in person, his excellent communication via email and phone left a lasting impression. His genuine commitment to delivering what my family needed during such a challenging time was evident, and I am grateful for his exceptional service and golden-hearted approach. I wholeheartedly recommend Amherst for their fair pricing, prompt services, and, most importantly, their compassionate and professional team.

Just had the most positive, considerate, empathetic and professional experience with Amherst and their terrific staff. From the time I pre-arranged their services to the time when I needed to "make the call" was never anything but easy. Scott (the owner) spoke with me a few times, and at the family meeting in our home for the final arrangements he made us feel that we were the only grieving family that he was concerned with. Every form, every process, every question, fear and concern was handled with sympathy, understanding and we were never made to feel that he had other places to be. Amherst's fees are by far the most reasonable of all the places I checked out. They provide every necessary form, registration, pictures and recommendations that you will need at the most difficult time in your life. Not once were we ever "upsold", and some special requests that we had were handled with ease and understanding. Thank you Scott, you have a terrific company and you are a very professional and experienced leader. We will not hesitate to recommend you to anyone. The McAteer Family

I just need to say one thing to be very clear. The couple that are posting very negative reviews here are either from the competition or from people that dialled the wrong number or from people that have some kind of unrealistic expectations because of their grief. Let’s get something else very clear.These people helped our family. BIG time. Some years ago when I knew my Mother was not well and because I would be away for some time, I decided to make arrangements with Amherst to do what we wanted for her (in case she passed while I was away) before we left so my siblings would not be left in a lurch. It did happen, mom did pass while we were away and my siblings were with her at the end when she went to heaven and then the people at Amherst came to the fore and were great. They were HUGE stress relievers for my siblings and us. Thank you so much for doing what you do. This is a little bit emotionally draining so another time I will like to share with you my most recent experience with Amherst. Which was again more than five stars. Sorry for the grammar .

You don't expect funeral arrangements to be a pleasant experience by virtue of what you and your family have to go through following the death of a loved one, but Scott and Chris at Amherst really made everything as simple as possible and in a way, pleasant. They are professional, punctual, courteous, and really know what they are doing. Both Scott and Chris also seem very genuine and are not trying to trick you and play on your emotions to get you to purchase additional items/services when I've heard stories of bigger funeral homes doing just that. Not only did Amherst help us organize a dignified end of life ceremony in Vancouver but they provided us with all the necessary documents and walked us through the steps of transporting the remains of my father to Ukraine where we had a proper burial. Amherst also gave us additional service cards, so we can share them with loved ones in Ukraine. I highly recommend Amherst's services -- they are run by great people who support you during a challenging time. You will not be disappointed!

My mom passed away unexpectedly in the early morning at senior home and I was informed her body must be removed within 6 hours. Totally unprepared and solution must be in place within hours had me totally baffled. I searched on the web and quickly found Amherst Funeral Service, A phone call to them and things swiftly get organized. They came and picked up my mom within 2 hours after the phone call. What a relief. Subsequently Chris from the office called me to follow up. An appointment was set up the next day and my family met with Chris to go through the details of their service. Chris had been very patient explaining everything to our understanding. Subsequently, an cremation service was set three days later. Long story short, from the phone call to the first meeting to the flower arrangement to the cremation ceremony, everything was well planned and organized. And the best part was the service charge was absolutely reasonable. Thank you Chris and Scott for your professional service.

After researching a few funeral and cremation companies, I decided to go with Amherst based on the many positive reviews, the Georgia Straight awards for Best of Vancouver, their very affordable prices and the fact that unlike many other companies they had their prices clearly listed on their website. I prepaid and did the paperwork in advance at their downtown office, and when my father passed away they did everything as advertised in an efficient and timely manner, including delivery of his ashes to my home which was very helpful in a time of great stress. I also really like the memorial pages that they provide for your loved one. My experience with Amherst was very good overall, and I would recommend them to anyone seeking a straightforward cremation package at a reasonable cost. And they never tried to up-sell me on anything or ask me for any additional fees, which is a refreshing way to do business in an industry where companies take advantage of those who are grieving.

I have researched and phoned a lot of funeral services and prices are $2400+ I definitely recommend Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services - Scott's (director) pricing is affordable, he provides excellent service and value added services. Also the most important thing is he does not pressure you to buy anything. He is takes the time to come out to your place and explains carefully and detail with the forms that were required to do. He is patient, kind and informative. As well, he personally delivers the ashes back to you.. No fuss, no muss and no hassle. We found it easy to do all the paperwork on-line and the few questions I had were answered promptly and courteously. I can see why Amherst is winning awards with Georgia Straight and the West Ender. The service and price can not be beat..... I already pre-paid and setup cremation services for my mother in law. Amherst is A+++++++++++ I will recommend them to all friends and family.

The people at Amherst cremation were so lovely to work with. They were kind, sympathetic, efficient and made an effort to work with me during this tough time. No arrangements had been made and they took their time to explain how everything works and walked me through the paperwork. They took care of getting the death certificates (even when my doctor’s office called me to pick up the paperwork, they quickly took care of getting it for me). When they returned my husband’s remains, (within a week which is so nice) they came to the house and walked me through all the documents that came in their package. When everything was handed over, they were still there for me to give me documents for traveling with the remains outside of the country. They did not charge much and they gave amazing service. One less headache when dealing with the death of a loved one. Thank you!!

I cannot express how grateful I am for Amherst's seamless and supportive guidance through the process of handling the death of my husband and all that entails. He died in a hospital and a city away from home so handling the arrangements was not a case of just going to the local service. The fact that we could make the arrangements online was a real comfort. We are not city people and so we could sit, safely and comfortably in out hotel and work out the arrangements over the internet rather than trying to find the service in an unfamiliar city and coping with traffic we are not used to driving in. This at a time, as you all know, when it is difficult to cope with anything at all. Thank-you Amherst from myself and my family for making what could have been a difficult process easy and seamless, yet supportive and caring.

My father passed away unexpectedly in June and I had to fly to Vancouver from Quebec to deal with all of his affairs. I found Amherst online and have been deeply impressed by their service - Scott McFarlane's customer service and interpersonal skills are beyond reproach. I contacted Amherst via email and received an immediate response. Everyone at Amherst was extremely knowledgeable, and there were no hidden fees or pressures to upgrade the cremation package I was looking for. Scott made an appointment to come and see me at my hotel the next morning, and made dealing with the loss of a parent about as bearable as it can be. He provided some invaluable tips and checklists that have greatly aided me in settling my father's estate. I would highly recommend Amherst to everyone. Scott and his crew do an outstanding job.

Amherst is an excellent funeral home. We cannot recommend it enough. The director, Christian (who is a true gentleman), and staff went beyond the call of duty to support our family in organizing our mother's funeral. They are exceptionally professional, very respectful and understanding, and did everything in their power to accommodate our many needs, including dealing with the hospital so that we could hold the funeral with very short notice. The funeral they helped us organize was so dignified and beautiful. They were there with us from beginning right to the end--including putting up a lovely memorial page for our mother, which we can now share with family and friends. We are blessed to have found Amherst. Thank you, to Christian and Amherst, for your superior service and support.

I did a Google search and went through a few cremation and funeral houses websites and chose Amherst Cremation company based on their lowest price and good online reviews. I used their basic cremation package in Aug 2016. I talked to them several times on the phone. They were very patient and gave me good directions with courtesy and respect. I also got to talk to the owner Scott a couple of times. He made himself available and was very helpful. They picked up the body on time and provided me with the ashed and death certificate on the date they promised. They delivered the ashes in a basic urn box and a folder with some useful information. Everything was done professionally and respectfully. I certainly recommend these guys.

The staff was condescending, disorganized, patronizing, and demeaning. Nothing we asked of them, could be completed. They did NOTHING to make the loss of our loved one a smooth transition. They ignored emails, and lied and said all their calls had been answered. Honesly, most childish group of people to deal with, ever. Shared screen grabs of facebook messages, and had little to no care that a loved one just had passed. I ABSOLUTELY love their response, and how they've helped to exactly show how ridiculous and childish they have been to deal with. You should try your hand at writing fiction, you absolutely have a knack for it. Don't use this company. They aren't about professionalism, compassion and caring.

Amherst handled all aspects of my dad's cremation with utmost care and professionalism. Staff members very responsive and forthcoming and accommodated all our requests very efficiently. The cost for services is very reasonable, and there was absolutely no attempts or pressure to get us to purchase additional goods or services, which is quite prevalent in the industry. Scott is very kind and caring on personal level and it helped ease the emotional strain as we navigated through the process. In difficult times like these it is important to have a dependable service and be confident that everything will be done right. Based on our experience I can recommend Amherst without any reservations.

Add my name to the list of customers very satisfied with Amherst’s service. I had planned to use them after I saw that their website had several awards noted, and that it set out their prices very clearly. My mom passed away Dec. 31, 2018. Amherst dealt with her cremation, and everything else required, in a very efficient and thoughtful manner. They did exactly what they said they would do, for the exact price they had advertised on their website, and they had everything done more quickly than I could have imagined. I chose to visit their office to pick up my mom’s ashes, instead of using their free delivery, and I found the staff I dealt with there were pleasant, kind, and professional.

This is my first time having to be in charge of a passing. The people at Amherst were a pleasure to deal with. They were very sincere and made my experience a positive one. I was able to email Alexander and he always responded with a pleasant attitude. I did have an issue that it was taking too long with the memorial page but Christian made sure it got up right away and he’s been great to email back and forth with. I highly recommend using Amherst. Whatever packages you want they deliver with no hidden fees. They even come to your house to deliver the ashes and explain everything in detail regarding the folder and certificates they bring. They have done a great job.

When my best friend recently lost her husband, I was able to be by her, to support and assist her with the funeral arrangements. Amherst helped us make sense of the complicated process with their caring and outstanding compassion. Of many funeral homes we interviewed, Amherst's was the easiest, most understanding and most caring. Not once they tried to upsell. The memorial service was beautifully done and we are thankful for many value-added goods that were built into Amherst's affordable package. Thank you Scott and Chris. You deserve much more recognition for what you do than some of these reviews gave you. We're grateful to have found you here.

My mother passed away unexpectedly 3 weeks ago. It was very difficult for our family especially during this pandemic. The Amherst team was very professional. All the staff were very helpful and practical. I arranged everything over the phone and submitted all the necessary paperwork on the website. Ivan took care of all the details of the viewing. Finally, we had a simple and cozy ceremony within a week. We were perfectly satisfied. Definitely, Amherst committed that ‘Respectful Care at Reasonable Cost’. I would like to rate them at 6-star if available because they deserve it. Highly recommended if ever you need the funeral and cremation service.

I found my friend neighbor and companion passed away at home nobody gave me support but Amherst did they provided with me step by step everything I needed to do constantly stayed on the phone with me the staff was so caring and compassionate fast and professional their services was beyond amazing I would highly recommend Amherst funeral and cremation the staff have great etiquette the delivery of the ashes was beautiful and respectful I can't thank them enough they are the Elite is the only word I can express and affordable classy and just all around a really amazing experience I would highly recommend them. Kindest Regards Betty

I have highly recommended Amherst Funeral Services to many friends and family. This company was professional, competent and sympathetic during the highly emotional times of the passing of both my father in 2016 and my mother in 2021. A simple phone call notifying Amherst of the deaths of my parents was all I had to do, other than giving a signed permission for them to be cremated. Because my parents had prepaid services, the process was flawless from beginning to end. I especiallly appreciated the full package of death certificates and ALL that I needed to proceed with finalizing my parents' estate. Thank you Amherst!

I was exceptionally pleased with the service that Amherst provided. The initial consultation was very informative and allowed me to make all decisions I needed and clearly identified what the next steps were. On the day, I was appreciative of how helpful the Amherst staff were during the funeral - everything from helping people out of cars to receiving people at the front of the church. I was impressed by their professionalism and how considerate their staff were - helped me get thru one of my toughest days ever. To top things off, the price was very reasonable. This is a class operation at affordable prices.

The staff at Amherst was very professional and caring while we were making arrangements for our soon to be deceased loved one and after her passing in mid-January. Their compassion helped ease a very emotionally difficult task. As we live in a different city all paperwork was handled by phone and via computer. What they say they do. Their fee structure is what you see you pay. No hidden fees or add-ons later. Cremation took place in the time-frame they promised. After cremation our mother’s ashes were promptly couriered to us. Thank you again Amherst for “holding our hand” throughout this very sad time.

Very compassionate, friendly, and made the entire process very easy to deal with in such a difficult time. I was in many email exchanges and phone calls with Jatin and he ensured that there were no surprises. He was so patient and responsive to all my worries and questions. No hidden fees and no one try to pressure me. They didn't even ask me to pay immediately after the service and this helped give us sometime to grieve over my Dad. There are a family owned business and would definitely go back to them in the future. Thank you Scott, Jatin and the rest of the team who helped us on our worst days.

Scott was great, supportive and compassionate. Helped us through the entire process and provided all the information we needed and more. Was very accessible when needed to discuss details of the service. He is also very familiar with Asian culture and customs. Their costs are much more reasonable compared to others with no sacrificing of service or quality. In fact they are cheaper, more accessible when needed and more personal. When you contact their office, they are a little busier but still very responsive and good follow ups. Would recommend Amherst without hesitation.

This is the fourth time that we have used Amherst Services to care for the pick up and cremation of our parents. Amherst's service is fast, professional and its people are kind. Their services are also very reasonably priced relative to the conventional funeral homes, saving money for other purposes including personal, family-planned celebrations of life. Furthermore, they provide common sense clear suggestions on what steps are necessary to terminate government pensions, apply for death benefits and other matters. We highly recommend Amherst when the day comes.

My beloved husband Peter passed away August 3, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. We found Amherst Funeral & Cremation services on line. After meeting Robert Schaffler my son decided to have them take care of my husband/father. We were very happy with all that Robert did to take care of Peter. Robert was professional but friendly & compassionate throughout Robert helped make a very difficult time in our lives a bit more bearable. I would highly recommend Amherst Funeral services to anyone in need of a caring place during a exceptionally sad time.

I would give Amherst 6 stars. My mother passed away last Nov and Amherst took care of her cremation. I was extremely happy with their services every step of the way. It was simple, extremely reliable, straightforward, and cost appropriate ($875 for the basic package). Customer service was excellent. On the other hand, Richmond Funeral Home was an exorbitant rip-off... They were going to charge $4000-5000 for essentially the same thing. I feel they're praying on people in their grief. Thanks, Amherst, for being honest, down to earth, and excellent.

We had to do everything remotely and Amherst was awesome. They took instructions via email and took care of everything to our total satisfaction with sympathy and class and at a very reasonable rate. This was a very trying time for us as we lost our son at the young age of 37 and when you are in a tramatic state like that you are very vulnerable. The people at Amherst were very understanding and supportive. I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this company and the service they provided for us. Top notch! First rate! Five star!

Christian Natadiredja with whom we had our first conversation with, was patient and polite as he explained to us the details of the services provided. He kept all the promises he made in spite of the tight time -frame we scheduled for the funeral. He took away whatever stress that could have happened in looking after all the details. All the staff were very compassionate and made the whole funeral process a beautiful memory. Thanks, Christian and Scott, for a service well done. I will be on your next customer list for my own funeral.

I would highly recommend this place! The staff is amazing, the owner Scott is so kind and so helpful. Everything was taken care of so quickly, they give you a folder with forms that you might need and tips to make things as easy as possible, and they will help you in any way they can. I am transporting ashes overseas and asked them for help and they were so accommodating, I really felt taken care of. They are a people centered business that does a wonderful job of helping people that are in a fragile state.

When we lost our dear sister, Amherst performed a wonderful service in getting her ready for her voyage! They provided a little room where we had our private service with sister present. We then signed forms for her cremation and thankfully the rest was handled very efficiently by Amherst! Anna’s remains were delivered to my house contained in the nice Urn that we had purchased at Amherst! Amherst, we thank you for the caring way in which everything was explained to us before accepting the contract!

I am very satisfied with the services offered by Amherst. At the most difficult time, they made things very straightforward and easy. From making arrangements, to pickup, swift cremation and then them delivering the ashes to my home, I could not have asked for better service. Not only that, but their prices are extremely competitive and transparent. No traps!! I've recommended them to my friends--not that anyone needs their services right now, but when they do, Amherst is who I recommend they call.

My brother passed away on Jan 27th, 2018, and our family received a recommendation to contact Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services for all the necessary arrangements. We are so glad we did, as they made every step easier for us, and we felt very comfortable with the decisions made. Communication with the staff was very helpful and done with such compassion. I would recommend Amherst to anyone without hesitation. Thank you to you all for looking after my dear brother. Kind regards, Anita E. Burns

It was a great experience! The people I worked with were very professional yet also very kind and understanding regarding the situation. It wasn't hard keeping in contact with them, and their online form fill was very quick and easy. I ended up switching from one plan to another plan, and the process was as simple as filling out another form. They offer multiple ways of paying, and the whole process was very fast for the price (which was very affordable). I would definitely recommend Amherst.

I chose Amherst because of the combination of value and the convenience of online arrangement it offers. I didn't expect much because of those. But I was delightfully surprised by how helpful, friendly and prompt their in-person services have been. Amherst staff returned my call promptly and delivered my aunt's ashes and death certificate to my home few days faster than promised. We're so glad we had chosen Amherst and will certainly recommend their services to our friends and families.

This has been a difficult year, with the Covid-19 virus we were not able to visit with our folks in British Columbia as we had honored their wishes that they live out their last days in Canada. The rest of the family lives across the border in the states. They both passed within weeks of each other in April/May. Amherst was amazing to work with, so kind and considerate. They put a lot of attention to every detail and assisted us with every step. Thank you so much, we are grateful.

Amherst provided value and delivered on everything they said they would deliver on as an organization. However, I would advise that if you choose to go with Amherst (and I wouldn't dissuade anyone from doing so), that you ensure you are very thorough and meticulous with your record-keeping, and ensure that the staff you are speaking with is concise. So much confusion (and maybe a little bit of money) could have been saved had I just held my representative more accountable.

My mom and dad recently passed away within three months of each other. Our experience with Amherst the first time was such that we had no hesitation in using their services again. Scott was very professional, yet showed the compassion and sensitivity that we were so grateful for at these difficult times. He explained the options available to us and allowed us time to make our own decisions. We would highly recommend Amherst to friends and family. Bruce Wong

We were deeply unsettled by a troubling report from Vancouver Coastal Health Care Home Staff regarding the transportation of our deceased loved one by Amherst Funeral and Cremation Services. I strongly believe that this unfortunate incident could have been prevented. I kindly request Amherst to thoroughly evaluate their staffing policies concerning the transportation of deceased loved ones, ensuring utmost respect and preservation of their dignity.

The staff were very kind on the phone. Scott was an absolute sweetheart. Explained everything really well. (I don't remember the other gentleman I met when I went to the office the first time, but he was also really great!) They picked up my aunt from the hospice, handled the cremation and all the paperwork (that I didn't know I'd need, but they made sure I knew I had everything plus copies, and understood what we would need to use them for).

From the first moment I talked to Jaytin, a service supervisor, I knew why a friend had recommended Amherst. He greeted me with a sense of assurance and knowledge. He assured me that all of the details would be handled efficiently and effectively, and they were! Questions were answered quickly, and both calls & emails were handled promptly. We are very grateful for their service and for the kind, professional way we were treated. Thank you.

Amherst makes this difficult time so much more comfortable. No pressure and they are so courteous and professional. This is my second time using their services and I would do it again - I just hope i don’t need to any time soon. They took care of all the details and I really appreciated the thorough documentation they provided. It made taking care of my executor duties so much easier. On top of all that, their prices are fair and upfront.

Scott came to meet with us at our home in Surrey. We appreciate that since my mom wasn't able to move around much due to her health. Scott made everything so easy and for a while, we forgot that we were dealing with a sad loss of our father. Thank you, Scott and Amherst. Your office staff were so polite and pleasant. James delivered my dad's ashes right to our home again. I really recommend your services to everyone I know.

Amherst Funeral was recommended to me by a close friend and I am sooo very happy that I followed through and had them take care of my needs for my family member. They were very Professional, & caring and Jessica was so very Helpful and showed genuine Empathy for my loss and I would recommend them to anyone needing their services and hope my Executor uses them for when my needs when my time comes. Sincerely, Bryan Potter.

Words alone cannot express the gratitude our family has for Amherst. The support and compassion we received through a very difficult time made the passing of our loved one less stressful. Scott went out of his way to drop off our Mom`s remains on a Saturday morning so she could attend her Celebration of Life later that day. Our family highly recommends Amherst, you and your departed love one will receive excellent care.

I gave them 1 stars for the decent service at first..Then they were THE WORST. staff named Jessica said they don't do services there. I found out they do. My brother was listed as my father on the condolences sheet. When my brothers ashes were picked up there was someone in lobby waiting for appt. while they were all eating on 5th floor. I complained and never heard back. They are cheap, but it shows in the quality.

The entire team at Amherst made the whole unpleasant process much, much smoother. They are obvious professionals and extremely caring people who made a difficult time much easier. They took care of all the logistics and made sure I had received everything I needed, even some paperwork I didn't know I needed but came in very handy. Do yourself a favour and make this time in your life easier by going with Amherst.

I cannot say enough great and wonderful things about Amherst Funeral Services. They were kind, sympathetic, understanding and above all HONEST. Prices aside (which were more than affordable), Scott was so thorough and TRUSTWORTHY, and gave me and my family peace of mind. I will repeat: I cannot say enough great and wonderful things about Scott and Amherst Funeral Services. Please call first before all others.

Quick, fast, professional and reasonable prices for such a difficult time. 1 call on my end and they handled everything. I’m glad they handled everything because I sure couldn’t have…As an only child with no other family and dealing with a somewhat unexpected death and no knowledge how to even go about planning after death Amherst handled everything. Something u don’t think about…very glad they were there.

It was a blessing to find Amherst. Their website shows different packages with itemized breakdown. No surprises and no hidden fees. Easy to upload the documents needed. Jessica was so helpful, patient and compassionate. She explained all the details and what to expect which was very much appreciated. Everything was handled smoothly and with care. Thank you Jess for all your help in this difficult time.

Working with Amherst when our son died made the process so much easier. They went above and beyond to make a very awful situation just a little better. They had personalized service and even came and picked up our son's urn from our home. They navigated the paperwork which was so beyond us at the time and dealt directly with the authorities to get him home quickly. I cannot recommend Amherst enough.

I couldn't have been happier with the service I received from Amherst - from the initial phone call to the delivery of my husband's ashes. This is a first class business and really has the best options and prices. At such a tragic time one needs the comfort of a well run operation. The representatives at all levels were so professional and efficient. I would have no hesitation in recommending them.

We used Amherst for both of my parents cremations, and we had positive and professional experiences with this company both times. I particularly liked being able to make all arrangements online, ahead of time, and having a phone number we could call anytime of the day or night. Their was no pressure to encourage us to make more expensive choices. I'd recommend this company to my friends.

The staff were so incredibly kind, helpful and respectful. Ivan was the primary person I spoke to. He made me feel heard and assured. I was in such a frenzy when speaking with him and he made me feel like everything will be ok. I spoke to other staff for various reasons and they were so pleasant. Of the other 7 places I spoke to, I felt the most safe and comforted by choosing Amherst.

If I could give ten stars I would! Amherst is the kindest, caring, knowledgeable funeral service provider. They are also very affordable! My family utilized Amherst's online service and where provided with assistance every step of the way! I even needed an extra document months later, and within minutes Amherst emailed me. Amazing service and support! Thank you for helping our family!

Amherst handled my father's cremation and they made every step easy and as pleasant as could be. I dealt with Afrin, who was lovely and very helpful over the phone (I live in the States) and even more so in person when I picked up my father's ashes in Vancouver. I met Christian too and he was also superb. Thank you guys for making an unpleasant situation (death) easier to deal with!

Losing a loved one is never an easy thing, but trying to coordinate everything from a different province is extra challenging. Amherst was wonderful at answering all of my questions and taking care of everything, and my brother, until I could pick up his remains. Their prices are affordable, and their staff is kind. Thank you Amherst for making a difficult process a little easier.

Under difficult circumstances my youngest daughter was prepared and returned to our family in a timely and dignified manner. Staff was exceptional and helpful and made the situation much easier for my other daughter and I to deal with as we flew across Canada from Winnipeg to Vancouver to retrieve her ashes. I would certainly vouch for their professionalism and recommend them.

Quite literally the most unimaginably unprofessional funeral directors we've ever had the misfortune to require. The choice of language describing our loved ones journey was simply horrifying. If you desire dignity, respect, compassion and a professional service DO NOT EVER USE THIS COMPANY! Totally shocked this standard of service can even be licensed to operate. A disgrace.

I first found Amhurst looking for a cremation services that were affordable for my mom‘s boyfriend as she was low income and needed someone she could afford. Then when my mom passed away a year later I only felt it was fitting that I used the same service. They made things incredibly simple in a tough situation. Thank you and hopefully we won’t see each other anytime soon.

Thank you for taking great care of our family at this tragic time, Scott. You and all your staff members have given us full support, compassion and care from the moment we reached out to you. What an amazing company you have and we're blessed to find you here! We can't thank you enough for what your company did to make our hardship much, much easier. God bless!

So glad we found your service on-line. Right from our initial conversation to the delivery of our memorial urn everything was done as presented with exceptional regard for a thoughtful and respectful relationship. Thank you to all of the staff at Amherst for attending to all the aspects of my mother remains in such a high quality and professional manner.

After the passing of my Mother , I don't think I could have found a nicer company to look after all the arrangements. Quick , easy and everyone there went above and beyond to make sure I was well informed with every step. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending this company, filled with compassionate people from beginning to end. Many thanks

Sadly we've dealt with Amherst twice in the last few years for simple cremation services for each of my parents. Amherst was extremely professional, caring and kind. There was a glitch in receiving my mother's ashes, but that was a postal delivery issue and not Amherst's fault. I highly recommend them for great value and solid service.

If I could give ten stars I would. The staff were always very compassionate and helpful. For the very reasonable price of $845, my brother was cremated and personally delivered to me along with his death certificate, including 10 copies. The package that came also had a list of what needs to be done next. I am forever grateful!

I would recommend Amherst to absolutely anyone that needs these types of services. I have never felt so valued and so well taken care of. Christian is caring, compassionate, hard-working and friendly. He was so very accommodating. I will be forever grateful for their hospitality and for making us feel so cared for. Thank you!

Outstanding service and reasonably priced! Our family is truly thankful to Mr Scott McFarlane and associates for their sympathy, efficiency and professionalism upon the recent death of our father. Undoubtedly AMHERST is (after extensive research and comparisons) the BEST!!! We can do not less than recommend their services.

Amherst was perfect to deal with when we had a sudden death in the family. We could depend on them being there and looking after the details. Their online system was easy to use and anytime I called they took the time to listen and help. The whole process from end to end was easy and very professional.

I recently lost my mother. Amherst was caring, kind, and very professional. Their prepayment option was the best thing that my sister and I had done. It made everything so much easier in the end. I would recommend their services to anyone. An amazing company, with amazing employees, and amazing prices.

I am absolutely impressed with Amherst company and service from my first inquiry to the delivery of Mom’s ashes. Everything has been done exactly as they promised, on time, and so simple for us. A very professional service and a fraction of the cost of some other companies. Thank you!

Hands down the best value and service we’ve received. Polite, compassionate staff helped us throughout the process. We appreciate that you never subjected us to hours or arrangement and sales pitches to get things done. Your clear and upfront pricing saved us a lot of headache!

My mom passed away and we contacted Amherst. We transported her to the United States for her burial and I will tell you Amherst was amazing from start to finish. They really made such a difficult time a little easier. Thank you so much. Great service and wonderful people.

Everything was handling with excellence. Ease of prearrangement, handling of post passing details and superior follow through on providing critical documentation. Exceeded my prior experiences with my Dad by a long shot. Mom was well cared for and I am thankful for that.

I very much appreciated the guidance and support I received at Amherst. Christian was readily available to answer all my questions and assist me with choices. Their calm compassion helped me navigate through a very difficult time, for which I am grateful.

Outstanding service. We are so thankful for what this company did. They managed to take care of everything and send us mom’s ashes to US during COVID. Very professional, customer service deserves more then 5 stars! Thank you again for outstanding work!

I would give no star if I could. When grieving a lost one and trying to sort out family matters I expect to be welcomed. The way that Christian handled my family matters was incentive and completely unprofessional. I would not recommend their services.

The people working at Amherst are ABSOLUTELY 100% Customer oriented. They made a very sad and difficult time so easy for us. I cannot recommend them enough. And the best part their prices are very reasonable. To the staff at Amherst Thank You!!!

I was very satisfied with the sincerity of everyone especially the gentleman who had direct contact with me. He was so kind, polite, yet made me feel like whatever I was feeling was ok and that one day I would be better. Thank-you. It was a

Aman and the people at Amherst we're wonderful. I pre-arranged their services, and they were helpful, respectful, and available when I needed them. The gentleman who returned my husband's remains to me was gentle, kind, and took the time to

My family met with Amherst to organize a funeral but did not end up proceeding with their services. This review is based on a initial meeting with Scott from Amherst and not on services rendered. We found our interactions with Amherst to be

At a time when we needed help, Anna and her colleagues provided great a Customer Experience. They had all the answers and didn't pressure us.They were very helpful and caring. I knew that my loved one would be taken care of. Thank you Anna!

When you are put on the spot when a loved one passes with the question - Who would you like us to contact - and you have never had to deal with something like this before.... in this day and age research is on the internet. I was impressed

Incredible service! Very affordable prices in addition to free products, discounts and bonuses. I had the best experience sorting out the worst and most painful loss of my life. The team was extremely helpful, caring, they let me grieve

Jessica the representative was so compassionate so kind and accommodating the funeral home treated me and my Family with respect and my Mom was looked after from the start I would tell all what a great Funeral Home Sincerely Kim Gerelus

10-STARS!!! I cannot say enough about Amherst! I found their website on the internet after an unpleasant experience with another funeral service. When I called Amherst, I was provided with the thoughtfulness, care, and professionalism

Myself and my family were very appreciative of Amherst during our difficult time. They handled everything professionally, and removed the stress from us so we can focus on our family. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

The service our family received from Amherst was stellar! There were no surprises and no unmet expectations. When our mom passed away Amherst made it so much easier to deal with. I have been recommending them to everyone.

Scott and staff cared for both my Mum and Brother. I found them to be very caring and took the time to listen to exactly what our wishes were. They helped me through some very difficult times. Thank you for everything!

The staff at Amherst were so compassionate and professional. They made the process very easy during this difficult time. I used them for cremation services for both my mother and father and would highly recommend them!

This review is in relation to the one directly below, from Ian McDonald. I asked Ian, a friend who I see as family, to write this review as I was not in the state of mind to at the time my husband passed.

Amherst provided exactly the services we wanted: cremation of my brother's remains and a death certificate. The cost was a quarter of the quotes I got from other companies for the same requirements.

The Amherst community was very kind, patient and compassionate during one of the most difficult times. They arranged everything and I knew my loved one was in capable, sensitive hands.

Great experience, would recommend their services to anyone. All the employees I have dealt with are very helpful, professional and really care about their customers!

Outstanding and professional service from start to finish. Our family is grateful for the care and support Amherst provided us.