The Saint Thomas Cemetery Company
The Saint Thomas Cemetery Company is a registered Canadian nonprofit organization (Business Registration Number: 119202836RR0001) that operates cemeteries in St. Thomas, Ontario. Established as a lot-owner governed charity, it manages the St. Thomas Cemetery on West Avenue and South Park Cemetery, along with overseeing the Orwell Cemetery under an agreement with the Municipality of Central Elgin.

History
The organization traces its roots to early 19th-century settlement in Elgin County, when Colonel Thomas Talbot's land grants attracted pioneers to the region. By 1924, the company pioneered perpetual care practices in Ontario, formalizing maintenance funding through a dedicated trust. This model, initially voluntary, became mandatory province-wide in 1955.

Operations and Funding
The company allocates 40% of plot sales and 15% of niche purchases to its Care and Maintenance Fund, using investment returns exclusively for groundskeeping. This ensures long-term preservation of approximately 22,000 gravesites across its 25-acre West Avenue property.

Genealogy Resources
Through partnerships with organizations like the Ontario Genealogical Society, the company aids genealogical research by providing access to burial records and recommending resources such as Ancestry.ca and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Its West Avenue location contains historic markers reflecting St. Thomas’ development from the War of 1812 era onward.

Governance
Governed by a lot owner-elected board, the organization emphasizes community stewardship, maintaining its facilities as non-commercial spaces for remembrance. Its charitable status enables tax-deductible donations for specific projects, including monument conservation and archival digitization.