Licensing Officer

at  Bereavement Authority of Ontario

The Licensing Officer will lead the delivery and coordination of funeral establishment, transfer service, cemetery, crematorium and alternative disposition operator licensing applications and other licensing activities for the BAO. This role will work alongside the members of the Licensing team and report directly to the Manager, Licensing and Education.

GENERAL LICENSING TEAM DUTIES

• Reviews and processes business license applications (for new sites and relocations or purchases of existing sites) and annual license renewals for funeral, transfer service, cemetery, crematorium and alternative disposition (hydrolysis) operators, and ensures compliance with Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA) and internal policies for eligibility.
• Works with landowners of existing unlicensed cemeteries throughout Ontario to educate them on licensing requirements and assist them in becoming duly licensed under the FBCSA; alternatively, coordinates with the landowner and local municipality to have the cemetery transferred to the municipality, or as a last resort, to have the cemetery formally declared abandoned under the FBCSA.
• Analyses, reviews and approves cemetery, crematorium and alternative disposition (hydrolysis) by-laws; works closely with operators to ensure the by-law approval process is followed and with the assistance of the BAO’s sample by-laws, ensures that the operator’s by-laws are in compliance with applicable legislation and regulations.
• Analyses, reviews and approves cemetery plan filings to ensure they meet legislative requirements.
• Reviews Registrar’s Consent applications, municipal zoning by-laws, environmental assessments, and surveys as part of the licensing application process.
• Follows up as necessary with applicants on existing license applications and with licensees on delinquent license renewal applications.
• Makes recommendations to approve license applications or to obtain more information or refuse applications with deficiencies.
• Communicate and coordinate with the Inspections, Compliance, and Enforcement (ICE) team to ensure sharing of information and follow-up related to various licensing activities.
• Updates the CRM as necessary and monitors, tracks, and reports on the overall progress of applications. Provides progress statistics re. licensing activities on a quarterly basis to management.
• Provides support in responding to License Appeal Tribunal (LAT) appeals of proposals concerning eligibility for licensure.
• Monitors, tracks, and reports emerging issues or trends to the Manager and Registrar.
• On occasion, may provide support the Personal Licensing and Education team members re. personal licensing duties.