Waterloo city council bet big on its crematorium in Parkview Cemetery in 2023, putting $2.2 million into burner and building upgrades to better compete with private crematoriums.

Two years later, cremations are plunging as council’s bet goes wrong, leading city hall to abruptly exit the cremation business before taxpayer losses pile up.

The sudden retreat comes after city council voted twice in recent years to persevere with a rare municipal service despite being warned of evident risks.

“Those were decisions that were made, and I think this is a good decision for us moving forward,” said Brad Witzel, director of financial planning for city hall.

Council’s first decision point came in 2019 when it was warned about outdated burners, increased competition and public ambivalence around th

See Full Page