Collin Bourgeois still remembers the first time he walked into Simple Wishes of the North. It was Nov. 1, 2018, and the 980-sq-ft facility at 1106 Kingsway showed tremendous potential.
“The industry was changing fast,” he says. “Families wanted alternatives to ornate funerals and high overhead. I thought, Let’s see whether there’s a better way to serve them.”
Six and a half years later, Bourgeois owns and operates the full-service provider at 1106 Kingsway and is preparing to unveil a 2,500-sq-ft expansion designed for what today’s families ask for most: a place to gather, share memories and move forward—without the pressure of a formal service.
From retirement curiosity to community cornerstone
Originally opened by another owner in 2016, Simple Wishes was “barely a year and a half old” when Bourgeois—then 60 and “semi-retired”—came looking for a new challenge.
“I had 40 years in funeral service. I could have said, ‘Forget this, I’m done,’” he jokes. “But there was fire in my belly. I wasn’t ready for Florida yet.”
What he saw was an unmet need. Church attendance was falling, Canada’s cremation rate was soaring and, as Bourgeois puts it, “People don’t have a great attraction to caskets and earth burials anymore.” In Northern Ontario, those shifts created a “perfect storm” for a low-cost, low-pressure model.
“The lesson is simple: listen to the people, serve and honour them,” he says. “Saying goodbye is never easy—so keep it simple and respectful.”
A package that starts with paperwork—and ends in peace of mind
Simple Wishes’ basic direct-cremation package covers all government registrations, cancellation of SIN and health cards, Canada Pension claims, obituary preparation and return of the urn within four business days.
“There’s still a lot of work behind ‘simple,’” Bourgeois notes. “Twenty-five years ago, everything centred on the deceased. The paradigm now is helping survivors—taking stress off their shoulders.”
Families commonly add photo slideshows, keepsake urns or catered receptions—options that will be easier once the new “Celebration Room” opens. The space will seat 70–90 guests, feature AV screens and a full kitchen and offer menus from three local caterers.
“It’ll look exactly how you want it to look,” he says. “No celebrant or clergy unless you ask for one. Bring your own food if you like. We’re here to facilitate, not dictate.”
Why expand—and why now?
Bourgeois says the decision to more than triple the floor space grew out of repeated requests from grieving families who wanted both an affordable cremation and a meaningful gathering, yet found Sudbury’s short-notice venues scarce.
“There aren’t many halls you can get that fast,” he explains. “If we can give people one more option—somewhere warm, welcoming and dignified—why wouldn’t we?”
The new Celebration Room addresses several obstacles at once: it is available on just a few days’ notice, sidestepping the months-long wait lists that accompany popular banquet halls; it folds venue, catering and audio-visual needs into a single transparent quote that keeps costs in check; and it offers an atmosphere that is neither as formal as a church nor as casual as a bar, a “social centre,” Bourgeois says, “where the slideshow, the music and the menu are entirely yours.”
‘You’re not second-rate because you choose simple’
Price transparency is part of the model, but Bourgeois insists affordability isn’t the only driver.
“Rarely is it about money,” he says. “Other people just want simplicity. We tell them, ‘You’re not second-rate people because you choose direct cremation.’ This is an honest, fair, professional way to honour your loved one and reflect their values.”
That philosophy flows from what he calls “servant leadership.” Staff greet visitors with warmth, walk them through every document and refuse high-pressure sales.
“We’re not smarter than you—just more experienced in this one area,” he says. “You’re not paying for my name; you’re paying for guidance when life turns upside-down.”
‘Always, honour life’
At 67, Bourgeois jokes that he’s now eligible for free bus rides, but he still clocks long hours. He credits the community for Simple Wishes’ rise from “nothing” to a trusted brand approaching its 10th anniversary.
With the Celebration Room weeks away from opening and year-ten festivities on the horizon, Bourgeois has no interest in slowing down. “I get home at night, look back and say, ‘What a blessed day.’ That’s the reward,” he reflects. “Strangers at 10 a.m. become friends by 10:30, trusting us with something priceless. How could I walk away from that?”