Vancouver has one cemetery, Mountain View on Fraser Street, and the City runs it under its own bylaw and rules. The City tells families that markers are typically purchased from a private monument company, lists bronze in four sizes on a 3 inch granite or concrete base, and, unusually in British Columbia, will supply the granite base and mount a bare bronze plaque on it itself. Approval and full payment come first, cemetery staff install flat markers, and installation usually follows within 3 to 5 working days of delivery. Across the city line, Burnaby’s Forest Lawn and Ocean View are private cemeteries with a March 2026 rulebook, and Surrey’s municipal cemeteries publish a complete size schedule and fees effective May 2026. This page sets out all three. We supply the cast bronze with raised polished lettering and lugs with studs; the base and the setting are arranged with the cemetery office or a local monument dealer.
Design a bronze marker for Mountain View
Pick one of the City’s four bronze sizes or set your own, add the wording, choose lugs with studs for the 3 inch base, and the price shows in Canadian dollars as you work.
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Mountain View Cemetery, the City’s rules on markers
Mountain View Cemetery at 5455 Fraser Street is the only cemetery in the City of Vancouver, governed by the Mountain View Cemetery Bylaw, whose Part 8 covers memorials, and by the Cemetery Rules revised June 25, 2013. Both PDFs block automated reading, so what follows comes from the City’s guidelines page and its application form. For casket graves, “Markers and monuments are typically purchased from a private monument company”; for in ground cremation spaces the marker “must be purchased from a private monument company”. The City does not sell lawn markers; it approves them, bases them where asked and sets them, and it warns: “We will remove any unauthorized markers.” The right to buy elsewhere rests on section 41 of the Act, explained on our British Columbia page. Most casket sites take up to four markers along the grave centreline; cremation spaces take one flat marker, some a second.
Bronze sizes and the 3 inch base the City supplies
The memorial application form, revised April 8, 2022, offers “Granite” or “Bronze (attached to granite or concrete base 3″ thick)”. The bronze sizes are 23 by 30 cm (9 by 12 inches), 30 by 51 cm (12 by 20 inches), 41 by 71 cm (16 by 28 inches) and 46 by 76 cm (18 by 30 inches), with the 7.5 cm (3 inch) base beneath. What sets Vancouver apart is that the City will base the bronze itself: its 2022 fee schedule carried the lines “Supply 9″ x 12″ granite base and mount (bronze) plaque $223.21” and $669.64 for the 16 by 28 inch size. In most BC cities the dealer must deliver the bronze already fixed to its base; at Mountain View a bare bronze can be delivered and the cemetery supplies the granite and mounts it. For a plaque from us, choose lugs with studs and one of the four sizes. We supply the bronze only; the setting is always by cemetery staff. The 2013 rule on bronze thickness and lettering could not be read, so ask the office to confirm any limit when you submit the proof.
Application, delivery and installation
The sequence is fixed by the guidelines. “Cemetery approval and full payment are required before delivery and installation.” The application form, “typically completed by the monument company”, goes to the office with the design; a family can complete it with our written proof attached. The approved application “is only valid for 1 year from the date of approval and requires at least 5 working days post-delivery for installation”. Flat markers are “Delivered to and installed by cemetery staff”, and “We try to install flat markers within 3 to 5 working days” after approval, payment and delivery, unless delayed by an upcoming interment, a family requested date (extra fee), “severe weather conditions such as snow or frozen ground”, or high volumes. Credit, debit and cheque are accepted, no cash, and “All prices include applicable taxes”. Ship the bronze to the office only after the application is approved.
Fees at Mountain View
The latest verified figures come from a City Council report of 26 November 2024: the marker installation fee was $467 in 2024, with $495 proposed for 2025, against a regional municipal average of $308. The complete 2026 schedule of fees is a PDF that returned an access error to our research, so we cannot quote the 2026 installation fee, the current base supply and mounting charges or the witnessed installation fee. Ask the office (604-325-2646) for the current schedule and expect the installation fee to be near the 2024 and 2025 figures. For comparison, the 2022 schedule charged $223.21 to supply a 9 by 12 inch granite base and mount a bronze plaque, and $669.64 for 16 by 28 inches. None of these fees is in our price; a 30 by 20 cm (12 by 8 inch) plaque is $996.08 in the designer with shipping included, and a 41 by 30 cm (16 by 12 inch) plaque is $1,580.02.
Niche panels are andesite, not bronze
Mountain View’s columbarium niches are closed with andesite stone panels the cemetery sandblasts itself: seven lines at most, names in capitals, dates in day-month-year order, no symbols or pictures, and “The cemetery determines the format and style”. Bronze niche plates are not offered, so there is nothing for us to supply there. Decoration rules are strict too: fresh flowers only in approved flush containers, up to two potted plants under 20.32 by 20.32 cm (8 by 8 inches) on a marker, artificial flowers only from October 16 to February 28, no glass. For bronze beyond the lawn marker the uses are private: a garden boulder, a bench or tree on your own property, or a pet memorial plaque. See garden plaques; a 20 by 15 cm (8 by 6 inch) garden plaque is $674.98 in the designer.
Forest Lawn and Ocean View in Burnaby
Burnaby has no municipal cemetery. Forest Lawn Memorial Park at 3789 Royal Oak Avenue and Ocean View Burial Park at 4000 Imperial Street are private cemeteries operated by Dignity Memorial, and both link the same Cemetery Rules and Regulations booklet dated March 1, 2026. Under it the cemetery regulates “the kind, size, design, quality and material of all outer burial containers, memorials and foundations” (rule 77); specifications “are filed in the office of the Cemetery and will be furnished upon request” and written approval must be secured before placement (rule 78); all charges including a “memorial installation inspection fee” are paid first (rule 80); a sketch “specifying material, size, inscription, manufacturer and style number” is submitted (rule 93); and contractors sign an indemnification agreement and show insurance (rule 97). Sizes and the inspection fee are not published. Ask for the specification sheet, submit our proof as the rule 93 sketch, and arrange the base and installation through a monument dealer who can meet rule 97.
Surrey, the neighbouring option with a full schedule
Many Vancouver families hold lots in Surrey, whose Cemetery Management By-law No. 16174 publishes everything Mountain View leaves to the office. A Memorial Permit is issued when the memorial “conforms to the specifications outlined in this By-law” and the fees are paid; only the Caretaker places memorials, “within 10 business days after delivery”, flush with the ground. “Concrete bases are not permitted”: a bronze sits on a granite base with “a border of at least 2″ (5.1 cm) of the base exposed on all sides”, 7.62 to 12.7 cm (3 to 5 inches) thick, lettering raised no more than 1.2 cm (0.5 inch). Schedule A sizes over the base: cremation single 30.48 to 45.72 cm (12 to 18 inches) by 25.4 to 35.56 cm (10 to 14 inches); burial single 50.8 to 66.04 cm (20 to 26 inches) by 30.48 to 45.72 cm (12 to 18 inches); burial double 71.12 to 91.44 cm (28 to 36 inches) by 40.64 to 60.96 cm (16 to 24 inches). Fees effective May 8, 2026, plus GST: flat memorial permit $260 plus $78 care fund, total $338; columbarium bronze niche plate $822, City supplied.
Our bronze plaque prices for Vancouver, delivery included
Here is what the plaque costs from us. These are the design tool’s own prices on 14 October 2026 for a plain rectangle with the default border and background, in Canadian dollars, and delivery anywhere in Vancouver is already included in each one.
| Size, inches (mm) | Typical use | Our price, delivery included |
|---|---|---|
| 6 x 4 in (152 x 102 mm) | Name and dates on a small cremation plot, urn or pet memorial | $478.72 |
| 8 x 6 in (203 x 152 mm) | Cremation garden plaque or a short dedication on a bench or wall | $674.98 |
| 10 x 8 in (254 x 203 mm) | Cremation lot marker with a line of wording or an emblem | $889.05 |
| 12 x 8 in (305 x 203 mm) | Single lawn marker with name, dates and a line of wording | $996.08 |
| 16 x 12 in (406 x 305 mm) | Single grave marker with an emblem, or a companion cremation marker | $1,580.02 |
| 18 x 12 in (457 x 305 mm) | Larger single marker or a dedication plaque with several lines | $1,759.60 |
| 20 x 10 in (508 x 254 mm) | The 20 by 10 inch flat marker size many municipal cemeteries list | $1,759.60 |
| 22 x 12 in (559 x 305 mm) | Companion marker or wide single marker inside a 24 inch envelope | $2,118.74 |
| 22 1/16 x 15 3/4 in (560 x 400 mm) | The largest size the designer makes, for double markers and dedication tablets | $2,456.76 |
The cemetery fees described above are paid to the cemetery office and are not part of these prices, so the full cost of a finished marker is our plaque price plus the cemetery’s setting, permit or foundation charges. Enter your cemetery’s size in the design tool and it shows the price for that exact size straight away.
How to order
- Ask the cemetery office for its marker specification: the maximum size, the base it requires and the form it needs signed. Most offices email it the same day.
- Open the free design tool, pick the shape and set the size in inches or centimetres. The price in Canadian dollars updates as you go.
- Add the wording, choose a border and background, and add an emblem, motif or photo if you want one. Choose lugs with studs if the plaque will be bolted to a granite or concrete base, or a flat back for adhesive mounting.
- Save the design and order it from My Account. We send a written proof that you can forward to the cemetery for approval, and nothing is cast until you approve it.
Frequently asked questions
Does Mountain View Cemetery accept a bronze marker bought elsewhere?
Yes. The City says markers are typically purchased from a private monument company, and its application form lists bronze on a 3 inch granite or concrete base in 9 by 12, 12 by 20, 16 by 28 and 18 by 30 inches. Approval and full payment come before delivery.
Who supplies the base for a bronze plaque at Mountain View?
Either the City or a monument dealer. Mountain View’s fee schedule has included lines to supply a granite base and mount a bronze plaque ($223.21 for 9 by 12 inches in 2022). We supply the bronze with lugs and studs only.
What does Mountain View charge to install a flat marker?
The installation fee was $467 in 2024 and $495 was proposed for 2025, per the City Council report of November 2024. The 2026 schedule could not be read, so confirm with the office. Prices include tax.
Can I order a bronze niche plate for Mountain View?
No. The columbarium panels are andesite stone sandblasted by the cemetery, and bronze niche plates are not offered. Surrey and the Burnaby cemeteries also supply or approve niche bronze themselves.
What are the rules at Forest Lawn and Ocean View in Burnaby?
Their rulebook dated March 1, 2026 requires written approval, a sketch of material, size, inscription and manufacturer, an inspection fee for outside memorials, and insurance from any installing contractor. Sizes are given by the office on request.
How long does a bronze plaque take in Vancouver?
Allow about four to six weeks from payment to delivery. Casting and hand finishing take most of that time, and we send a free written proof before anything is cast. If your cemetery only sets markers in the frost free season, order early enough for the spring installation window.
Design the bronze for your Vancouver lot
Choose the City’s size, add the wording and lugs, see the Canadian dollar price and approve a free written proof before we cast. The base and setting are arranged with the cemetery.
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