Chant’s Funeral Homes in Sydney has had its licence to sell pre-arranged funeral plans suspended for six months and the ability to sell trust-funded, pre-arranged funeral plans permanently revoked.After receiving a complaint, Service Nova Scotia conducted a thorough inspection of the funeral home. The inspection uncovered that in at least one instance, the funeral home received money for a pre-arranged funeral and did not place that money in trust. Licensed sellers of pre-arranged funeral plans are required to ensure that all money received for a trust-funded, pre-arranged funeral be placed in trust in the name of the purchaser. A hearing was held on May 22.“Nova Scotians are expecting those funds to be there at their time of need, and not placing funds in trust can put their investment at risk,” said Rodger Gregg, registrar of Cemetery and Funeral Services. “These actions place consumers at risk and can lower public confidence in the funeral profession.”The six-month licence suspension will begin on July 1 and the revocation of the ability to sell trust-funded, pre-arranged funeral plans is effective immediately. Nova Scotians who have a pre-arranged funeral plan with Chant’s Funeral Homes are encouraged to contact the department at 902-424-5819 to check on the status of their plan. Service Nova Scotia is responsible for licensing funeral homes and crematoriums that sell pre-arranged funeral plans under the Cemetery and Funeral Services Act. To view the registrar’s full decision, visit novascotia.ca/sns/access/individuals/consumer-awareness/cemetery-and-funeral-services-enforcement-activity.asp .Source: Release