Families relieved Montreal cemetery to reopen on Sundays for first time since pandemic started
Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery has decided to reopen on Sundays much to the relief of many families.
Since the pandemic began, the cemetery remained closed to people wishing to pay their respects to their loved ones.
It's been a long, hard fought battle for Michael Musacchio.
He comes to the cemetery to visit his daughter, Vanessa, but the Sunday closure made that a lot harder.
“I started back at work six days a week. I was never able to come so I decided that this was unjust. Every other cemetery in Montreal, and Canada for that fact, were [open] seven days a week,” he told CTV News.
He spent countless hours trying to get answers and to get the cemetery to open on Sundays.
“I work all day and then devote my time to emailing. I've emailed everybody,” he said.
Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery will now be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Sundays, a major relief for Musacchio and other families as well.
Tracey Timmoney’s father died right as the pandemic hit last year. Not being able to visit on Sunday meant a lot of logistical challenges.
“It made it difficult. It made it very, very difficult especially to bring my mom,” she said.
“I would have to arrange it somehow on a Saturday and if a Saturday didn't work, if the weather wasn't that great, well, then we had to wait for the following week.”
But what they both still question are the reasons given by the cemetery for why it closed.
Musacchio said cemetery officials told him it was so the facilities could be disinfected and cleaned.
Patrick Chartrand, who works at the cemetery and is a union representative, said it's not true that employees disinfect on Sundays, and claimed it was all about saving money.
“The truth is it’s purely economic. We save the salaries of the security guards,” he said in an interview.
CTV News reached out to cemetery officials for comment but did not hear back at press time.
“For me, this is a way to honour her,” said Musacchio, who, like other families, have some peace of mind and are able to now pay their respects every day of the week.
“I think it's just something that should have been done from the beginning. I fought because it's something that was not right.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.