It's hard enough to have one's mom die. Grief over Covid is another thing. As we sought how to honour our mom's wishes, her funeral, her burial we found that we were hitting walls. As we did my husband contacted Giffen-Mack Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Lawrence Ave. He was connected with Torva. Our experience with Torva was that she was proactive & supportive right from the start. She got back to us in good time with info when we were just sounding out potential info for their company. Her followup was very much appreciated. We live long distance in another city so telephone meetings / emails were important to support long distance planning with other family who are more local & she was very receptive to support this. Torva was receptive to our questions (I ask "just a few") & concerns as we sought information to ensure that our mom would be taken care of as we believe that she would both want & need with Giffen-Mack. We had learnt prior to our initial call with her that the cemetery had need to remain closed over winter & to bury in spring. (That immediate burial was not an option.) Torva sought options for us. Further she learnt the difference between options. This info was VERY supportive. I feel that I should note - we had initially sounded out another area funeral home location - who were not prepared, not proactive, not supportive for distance, did not make us feel confident in their information... So - On that day after that "meeting" my husband 1st contacted Giffen-Mack. I am glad that he did. Alternatively, Torva with Giffin-Mack called back about our challenge for burial to make us aware that if we were to go with a certain option "A" how it would impact the necessary later burial date over other option "B". Torva is proactive to gain knowledge that also supported less travel for us to meet for the future burial date. (We are already traveling a distance between cities so this is supportive to us. It supported the cost factor too.) Torva at Giffin-Mack PROACTIVELY did make an effort to learn in order to educate us. She helped to find what we needed, not just the minimum to "do the job". This alone was supportive. So very appreciated. Torva supported a virtual meeting facilitated by my sister & brother in law who attended in person as my husband & I attend the meeting from our city. Torva checked I could see the content well as she went over the details as we "met" over FB live on a stand. (She learnt how detail oriented that I can be when I'm anxious. It didn't phase her. She rolled with it *very* well where not all do. This support from Torva decreased some of my anxiety.) When we explored options Torva listened to our needs, interests & wants. Torva was again proactive referring the newspaper death notice proofs to us & resubmitting as they kept coming back with typos. (That was not on her! She kept us in the loop to make sure that *we* were good with what was going to be printed.) She coordinated so that it came together easier for us - the date, arrangements required, the minister, other factors... On the day of our mom's funeral Torva was professional & organized from when we met at the door. Due to Covid distancing measures my sister's & my families sat separate sides of the chapel. She did not get phased to talk to 1 of us, my sister or I, and then approach to tell to the other. (Little things can be big things.) She was very courteous & respectful. I noted her respectful pause when she was at my mom. She was organized at the end. I felt she was patient & kind listening. That can help calm people. Even with a couple of follow-up email she has been reassuring. With all of that said. We are hopeful that Torva will be supported to be able to be the Funeral Director who will complete what is needed for our mom's burial at a later date. Having Torva as a consistent point of contact, aware of the situation through to this last step has been & would be supportive. Especially with her attention to detail & ability for communication skills that we have experienced to this point.

Reviewing on behalf of my father: There are no words to describe the tremendous service we received from Giffen-Mack and especially our main contact Jason... but I will try. The patience, understanding, compassion and kindness shown me and my family was nothing short of remarkable. Whenever I approached Jason with a question the response was always the same - "that has already been taken care of". There were so many little things done as well, which in the big scheme of things were not so little, but rather very much appreciated, such as Jason driving us to a luncheon spot after our initial meeting, followed by many other offers of transporting us to and from other destinations. Another employee named Stephan was actually willing to wait for us while we had a family luncheon after the ceremony service in order to drive us back to our hotel. I would also like to add that there was another element to my mothers funeral arrangements that involved transporting my mother from Nova Scotia where she died to Scarborough. I made one initial call to the home in NS, and after that Jason took care of all remaining issues as they pertained to the NS funeral home. The service and attention we received from Jason is rare these days, so it's a wonderful feeling to know it still exists in our society today. Most importantly my mother was treated with the utmost respect and dignity she deserved and we can't thank you enough for that. My mother would have been so pleased with how well you cared for her and her loved ones. I cannot say enough good things about Jason and his staff. Everyone associated should be very proud of how well you represent your company and work on your behalf. To Jason and staff - an extremely heartfelt thank you for making a very difficult time in our lives so much easier and bearable. We wish you nothing but the best. Sincerely Robert McCullough & family

Several weeks ago when we knew my wife Ann was dying of cancer I contacted Giffen-Mack by phone and spoke to Torva Buckley. She immediately made me feel comfortable speaking to her and explained to me what to expect after death occurred and to call them back at that time to finalize details. She took my details and followed up with an email with her contact info. After Ann died I called them and Catherine LaBelle answered and made arrangements for us to come in to Giffen-Mack to discuss funeral details. We met with Kelsey Logel, who explained simply and clearly the choices available to us and the costs involved. We were dealt with the utmost respect and professionalism from all of these employees from start to finish. We made last minute changes to the info we supplied for the Giffen-Mack site and the Toronto Star announcement. We also had difficulties uploading our photos to the website and providing music in a format that could be used in St Margaret's church. Torva went out of her way to make sure that these problems were resolved swiftly so everything went smoothly for us. Giffen-Mack, you are the definition of service, as yours is exceptional! Dignity was shown by all levels of the support staff we encountered there. Few companies today provide the level of service that we experienced in our dealings with your company. You are also fortunate to have employees like Torva who is an exceptional person. Thanks to all for making this a memorable occasion. Regards, Harold Jones

During one of the most difficult times in my life, the passing of my mother, Jason and Kelsey and all the staff at Giffen-Mack showed their compassion and their humanity. Not only did they understand the grief I and my family were experiencing, they also helped us tactfully and efficiently with the "official" things that had to be done. I wasn't thinking about the paperwork and other details that needed to be done. But they were. And their help is so greatly appreciated. I understand that all organisations which provide services must be customer-focused, but the staff at Giffen-Mack went over and above that baseline. As I said, their humanity, compassion and empathy shone through at every point of contact with them. Do I recommend them? Not only would enthusiastically say "YES", I plan on making my own funeral arrangements through them. They are unparalleled in every aspect. Most people don't know what to do when a loved one has passed, or is close to passing. If you are one of those, please contact these wonderful folks. They will guide you and they will help you.

We worked with Mr. Le who specializes with the Vietnamese community. He was very responsive and answered all of our questions. Thank you again for helping us take care of our dad. There were a few things which I thought could have been done better or flexibility with some snacks. Originally my mom didn't want for any snacks, then my brother wanted us to have some, but we were told catering must be done with the funeral company only and minimum of 48 hours was required. No outside catering or food can be brought on site. I understand rules are set in place but I wished there would have been some flexibility - its not something that a family plans to do often. The memorial signing booklet, we ordered a grey one but on the day of the visitation we were given a brown one with Chinese fonts. We're Vietnamese, very different from Chinese culture. The funeral director assistant changed it to a white cover one. Not the grey cover we had chosen but it better than the brown with Chinese fonts. Overall the staff was friendly and helpful.

My experience with Giffen Mack was exceptional. My initial arrangement conference with Torva. whose professionalism and knowledge, made things that much easier with no pressure. She as well as Catherine were great in responding to my e-mails and phone calls in a timely manner as well as being patient with me asking to change things on my mom's Obituary. They were very accommodating. Catherine's professionalism with my mom's visitation and making sure everything went smoothly made it a memorable experience. Torva also made sure the burial at my mom's final resting place was perfect. Very organized, from instructions of the carrying of the casket, to the route at my Mom's final resting place, to when the service was over. Everything was perfect. Extra special thanks to Kelsey also! I will definitely use Giffen-Mack in the future when needed.

Giffen Mack was chosen to send my Dad off in July 2021. They are great...highly recommend them. Phillip our Funeral Director had years of experience.....and it showed....professional.....and never made us feel rushed....not once. From our meetings....phone calls...at the church and graveside......Phillip was a true professional. Giffen Mack even gave us an extra limo at no cost...found ways to fit our budget...but keep things looking and feeling good for Dad's send off. My family is so happy with them. The whole thing was live streamed....even at the graveside.....which meant soooo much to those family members who were over seas and could not attend because of Covid restrictions. If you're on the fence with them....don't be......they will treat your loved ones like they treated my dear Dad.....like it was their Dad.

The services with Giffen Mack was excellent. Jason the director of the funeral home made this experience so comfortable and not so stressful for our family, also of course the staff provided us with absolutely truly exceptional service and they made it so easy to do the arrangements for our farther. There was no problems, no stress added to having to plan a funeral for our father. I really appreciate the kindness, sensitivity and compassion from all staff including the clergy woman Theresa who made it an amazing service. Playing my Dads favorite music through the visitation and through the service made it so comforting to our family and friends that attended the funeral of my father. Our farther would have loved this. Thank you for everything

My mother's funeral was handled thoroughly and professionally by the team at Giffen-Mack Funeral Home & Cremation Centre (4115 Lawrence Avenue East). Kelsey was the front-line Funeral Director who looked after my mother's final needs. The arrangements and communications were excellent especially during these difficult COVID times. Our family/friends really appreciated the online obituary and funeral service and burial webcast. Special thanks to Torva who patiently answered my many questions and oversaw the funeral on the day of. She was empathetic and attentive to all my requests. Thank you also to Philip who assisted with the funeral. I would highly recommend Giffen-Mack Funeral Home & Cremation Centre to everyone.

We are very grateful to Phillip and Torva for their support and assistance as we prepared the funeral service to celebrate the life our/my beloved Father Sylvester Wilesley Morris who transitioned peacefully at his home on May 7, 2021. Facing the challenges of the Covid restrictions hampered our abilities to honour our Father's life in the manner we would have preferred. However, with the kind assistance of Phillip and Torva we rejoiced my Father's life and legacy as best as we could under these circumstances. To the staff at Giffen Mack, Lawrence and Kingston Rd location we appreciate you, your kindness and support. Regards, Carolyn Morris-Walker & Mrs. D. Buchanan-Morris

i would like to say i am so grateful for all the staff at Griffin Mack funeral home they all have been so amazing in April we had a funeral there for our friend Derek and they took such great care of him and everything that we had to do and during the peek for Covid that we so hands on . then just recently on October my brother in law David passed away and once again they were right there with anything we needed, so very understanding helpful kind and caring i was once again truly amazed but everything that they have done .. thank you so much Torva, Phil Jason for everything amazing people

We used the service of the Giffen-Mack Funeral Home on Lawrence Ave. It was the best choice ever. Our funeral director Brittney was very patient and supportive of us throughout the process. Yes, Brittney King provided an exceptional level of care and attention to our needs. She made us feel comfortable at all times. She showed empathy, compassion, and a high level of customer service. We knew from the beginning that our dear mother was under the best care. Thanks for having such a supportive and caring staff. Erika Irrgang and Palma Family

The services Giffen Mack and the staff provided me were truly exceptional, they made it so easy to do my arrangements for my Dad. There were zero issues or stressors added to having to plan a funeral for my Dad. I really appreciate the kindness, sensitivity and compassion from all staff including the clergy woman Theresa who made it an amazing service. Playing my Dads favorite music through the visitation and through the service made it comforting to me and something he would have loved. Thank you for everything.

Thank you very much to Giffen Mack Funeral Home staff for all your help in this most difficult time. On behalf of our family we wish to thank you for your professional services during our difficult time. We appreciate your kind and thoughtful service. Specially to Kelsey Logel our funeral director. We felt blessed to have you as our funeral director. Thank you for everything you did to make sure that everything went smoothly. Thank you for all the patience in attending our questions and request.

We used the service of the Giffen-Mack Funeral Home on Lawrence Ave. It was a fantastic choice. Our funeral director (Kelsey) was very patient and supportive with us throughout the process. There was never any pressure on our choices. She was very open and transparent with all costs. She communicated with us regularly to keep us on track during planning. Even though she could not be with us on the day of the service, the general manager stood in and everything went smoothly.

My family and I are beyond grateful for the service provided by Giffen-Mack Funeral Home & Cremation Centre. The staff displayed such compassion, professionalism and support from the time we initially contacted them. They provided us with a thorough explanation of what was offered and what the best fit for our family was - even in the unprecedented times of COVID-19. Special thanks to Torva, Kelsey and Colleen for their heartfelt service during an unimaginably painful time.

Giffen-Mack Funeral home is amazing. All the staff there are very compassionate and supportive. They go through everything with you patiently and in detail. Giffen-Mack made it easier for us to deal with the death of our loved one. It was a great decision that we chose them above anybody else. Up to this day, they are still helping us with any questions or informations that we may have. Keep up the great work. Thank you so much for making my dad's funeral perfect.

Giffen-Mack Funeral Home made a very difficult time manageable. The staff showed empathy, compassion and a high level of customer service. Giffen-Mack demonstrated the care to ensure that our love one, as well as our needs were catered to. No pressure, great advise and every detail looked after. Thank you for taking care of our love one, our needs; calibrating with the Church and Cemetery. Much appreciated Courtney

My mother recently passed away and our family never felt so taken care of like the way the Giffen-Mack staff at Lawrence Ave. East did. We especially appreciate the personalized service we received from the funeral director, Kelsey. She and her colleagues were very professional. We also appreciate the live-streaming of my mom’s funeral service and the online obituary where we got to share our memento of our mom.

My father, who recently passed, had pre-arranged his funeral with Giffen-Mack many years ago. Now that the time to execute his wishes arrived, all the folks at G-M were delightful to work with; from funeral director Philip Baxter to counselor Benjamin Land to the wonderful lady (Urvah?) from whom I claimed my father's remains. I felt like I was in good hands throughout this process. Thanks to all!

The entire process of making arrangements for my husband ran smoothly from start to finish. The director Mr. Philip Baxter was thoughtful, compassionate and truly helpful. During this pandemic time when everything is so difficult, he made the situation a little easier to deal with. The funeral was simple, yet respectful. Thank you. You truly made a difference during such a difficult time. Ofelia

I want to say thanks to all the staff at Giffen-Mack... It's hard enough to say goodbye (see you later) to a loved one but thought it was gonna be impossible with covid-19... Giffen-Mack not only made it possible, they opened there doors with love. Special thanks to Colleen for being there day an night to help make sure all was good. From The Lohnes Family

I am so impressed with the level of understanding and empathy shown by Giffen-Mack. The funeral director, Torva, went out of her way to answer all our questions. Because our mom could not be buried till spring, she again went and found solutions for us. We are looking forward to your help again in the spring. Thank you so much for all you have done!

Our experience with giffen mack was excellent!Torva was very efficient and kind and professional , she gave us piece of mind and was very compassionate She helped guide us through a difficult time .Thank you so much Torva for all you did. Also Kelsey was extremely helpful arranging the obituary well done and very professional Thank you Kelsey

Thank you Giffen Mack for a lovely candlelight service It was especially needed this year and a special thank you to the celebrant Colleen who once again did an amazing job of knowing what it is that we all needed to hear and feel. Her understanding of compassion and grief and what we are all feeling shines through with her wonderful words.

Words could not explain the service and support we received from Torva Buckley, you truly exemplify the meaning of customer service. You ability to conduct and provide empathy in a professional manner exceeded our expectations. Thank you Torva and thank you Giffen-Mack for providing us with Torva Aubrey Pereira November 2021

I just wanted to thank you for the candlelight memorial service. I have attended in years past and have always left feeling uplifted. This year seemed especially poignant. Colleen seemed to know just what to say to uplift us at this strange time in our lives. The whole service was lovely. Thank you to the whole team.

It was a Pleasure using Giffen-Mack to take care of my mom. Everything was done with class and excellence. Special thank you to Torva and Kelsey who made this a smooth experience for me, as this was my first time having to deal with something like this. Thank you ladies and thanks to your amazing team.

Giffen-Mack delivered excellent service during our difficult time. The staff were especially helpful and delicate when catering to our needs and answered our questions sincerely and respectfully. Definitely would recommend them to individuals who need planning and services on the death of a loved one.

Braydon and his staff did a wonderful job handling my Father’s funeral. In particular, Braydon’s compassion and professionalism was very much appreciated by our family. I knew shortly after meeting Braydon that my Father was in loving and caring hands. Thank you so much!

My mother's funeral arrangements were done here in October 2018. Outstanding empathy, understanding and compassion during the difficult time. I dealt with all wonderful people - Karin and Philip for all the arrangements, and the ceremony, and Debbie for the aftercare.

Everyone was sensitive and attentive to our needs, and everything was handled with the utmost professionalism. Kelsey was wonderful, and our Dad looked beautiful and peaceful. I give Giffen-Mack Funeral Home my very highest recommendation. Thank you for your care.

The staff at Giffen-Mack were exceptional. From my very first phone call until even after my father’s funeral the service has exceeded my expectations. They really care and listen to your needs. Thank you to Phillip and staff for taking such good care of my dad.

The funeral director and staff helped us with funeral arrangements in a compassionate, respectful and organized way. The memorial including online tribute was heartwarming. The documents and information for post-death arrangements was very helpful.

We really appreciate the service they provided.Kelsey is so patient and provided the best service .This is a professional and efficient funeral home.They listen to our needs and explain everything clearly make us feel warm during the hardest time.

Jason and his staff went beyond what we expected in handling Mom's arrangements. The memorial get together was a great success due to the staff's professionalism and caring. Thanks to all for your help and assistance at this time. Eric Honsberger

very informative thorough compassionate, caring people only issue was when I went to confirm that is was by husband the woman talked so quiet I misunderstood her resulting in me waiting for her return after about 20 min. I needed to go find her

My mom passed everyone here has gone above and beyond for us. They also gave us the option of a viewing for some of us that didn’t get to say goodbye. We can never thank them enough for everything they have done. Thank you for actually caring

The entire process was handled exceptionally. Professional, kind, accommodating and attention to detail. Everyone in our family felt special and my Dad would have been happy with his memorial. Special thanks to Brittney for all her kindness.

Philip, Karin and the entire team were wonderful. They showed compassion and understanding during this difficult time. They feel like neighbors taking care of all the details without you having to ask. Highly recommend their services.

Jason and his team provided a very professional and dignified funeral and burial service for my brother Murray, at a time when his family needed the 'take charge of the family's needs'. Great Job, and thank you.

My mother passed away in July and Giffen-Mack handled everything with a professional and caring attitude , The staff was very caring and I plan on using their service when my time comes

The interactions and services of Giffen-Mack were superb. Philip Baxter is a professional that discharged his functions effectively and efficiently. Thanks.

Everyone involved in my brother's funeral were the most professional people I've ever dealt with. They were completely helpful throughout the whole process

Well treated by the staff despite the on going covid-19 pandemic they were welcoming and treated everyone involved with respect and dignity

Everything was handled with compassion. Easy team to work with to make my dad's passing easier on the family

I was treated with the highest regards My appreciation is mutual Plus crossing new bridges made easier Dan

During this very difficult time for our family, the staff at Giffen-Mack were very kind and professional.

Kelsey and all the staff are extremely nice and very helpful at a time when you need it most.

We appreciate the service and assistance. They made a difficult time a little easier.

Very happy with the service from Giffen Mack very professional and efficient

They made everything very easy for us and made us very comfortable

Very good service to our family. Highly recommend their services.

Very patient. Listened to our needs. Very professional.

They went above and beyond in our difficult time

Disregard last review as it was a mistake

Lovely service and people.