The City of Regina will soon abolish cemetery burial fees for veterans.
Council unanimously approved the decision at Wednesday’s council meeting to waive the cemetery license fee for veterans in the Field of Honour, starting June 6, 2024. Mayor Sandra Masters said the move is meant to honour and respect veterans on the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
“Just a small way that we can honour those who served our country and who made it home,” the mayor said.
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During the Second World War, 458 members of the Regina Rifle Regiment made the ultimate sacrifice, including 102 on D-Day.
“It’s just one small way that we can honour them at the end of their life and just cover those expenses, because funerals are very expensive,” Masters said.
The city anticipated the cost to waive cemetery license fees for veterans will be between $3,135 and $4,180 per year.
That price is based on an estimated average of three to four veterans buried in the City of Regina’s Field of Honour each year and on the 2024 Field of Honour lot fee.