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Cemeteries & Burials

The City of Markham manages 5 active cemeteries and 18 historic, pioneer, and abandoned cemeteries. We run these cemeteries by following the rules of City By-law 2012-178 (PDF). You can see our List of City owned Cemeteries (PDF).

Please note at this time the City of Markham does not have any burial plots or cremation plots available for sale.

Active Cemeteries

There are 5 active cemeteries in Markham. They are:

Buttonville Cemetery

Historic Buttonville Cemetery lies on the east side of Woodbine Avenue, just south of 16th Avenue. It is the final resting place for many of the area's original pioneer families. It dates from 1830.

John Button, a local landowner, donated land for a Wesleyan Methodist Church and burial ground. He set aside a portion of the property as a family burial site. He was a Major in the local militia and died in 1861 at 89 years of age.

Eckardt Cemetery

This cemetery is located on the west side of McCowan Road, south of Highway 7. It was originally part of the Eckardt Family farm. Still active today, the site dates back to the 1830s.

First Baptist Church Cemetery (Markham)

Located on the 9th Concession Road, north of Major Mackenzie Drive, the First Baptist Church dates to the 1830s. A Baptist Church was built on the Miller Family Farm in the late 1840s. Many of the Miller family are buried here. The Church was later moved and restored. It is now one of Markham's heritage buildings.

Hagerman West Cemetery

The cemetery lies on the west side of Kennedy Road, north of 14th Avenue. It’s in a bustling part of Markham. The Hagerman family, original settlers to the area, donated a church. It sat on the site beside the cemetery, which, at the time, had been the private burial grounds of the family. The church was replaced with a brick structure. That structure was torn down in the 1920s.

St. John's 5th Line Church Cemetery (Milliken)

Located on the east side of Warden Avenue, north of Steeles Avenue, this cemetery is all that remains of the original site. The frame church was destroyed by fire after a lightning strike in 1929. It was not rebuilt. The first recorded burial was of a man who fell from the steeple of the Church.

Learn more at the Ontario Genealogical Society: http://www.ogs.on.ca/

Plot Sales & Burials

Currently the City of Markham does not have any plots for sale. 

For burials at Markham Cemeteries, please contact Donald Reesor at 416.948.1456

Administration

The administration in the Legislative Services Department interacts with members of the Markham Cemetery Board. They look at:

  • The annual budget
  • Maintenance of grounds and stones
  • Fees charged for lots and cornerstones

The Legislative Services Department keeps individual files for each cemetery.

Contact

Alida Tari
Manager of Access & Privacy
Phone: 905.477.7000 extension 2082
E-mail: atari@markham.ca

Notes: The City of Markham has submitted Cemetery By-law 2012-178 (PDF) to the Registrar of the Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act 2002 for the following cemeteries:

  • Bethel-Lunau Cemetery
  • Buttonville Cemetery
  • Eckardt Cemetery
  • First Markham Baptist Cemetery
  • Hagerman East Cemetery
  • Hagerman West Cemetery
  • St. John's 5th Line Cemetery
  • Thornhill Cemetery

If you'd like to make copies, please contact Alida Tari, Manager of Access & Privacy, at 905.477.7000 extension 2082.

These by-laws are subject to the approval of the Registrar, Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act, 2002. You can reach the Cemeteries Regulation Unit by calling 416.326.8399.