NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) declared on Wednesday (Jan. 22) that the city will continue engaging with residents to enhance the comfort of funeral facilities. The third public briefing will occur tomorrow, aiming to clarify the direction for the future of the city's funeral services. The city's Civil Affairs Bureau (新北民政局) presented a report titled "Future of New Taipei City Funeral Policies and Responses" (新北市殯葬政策未來與因應) during a municipal meeting.
The bureau plans to build additional columbaria in Yingge (鶯歌), Bali (八里), and Tamsui (淡水) to address the increasing demand for niches and memorial plaques. The bureau also seeks public input on optimizing the New Taipei City Funeral Parlor (新北市立殯儀館) to alleviate current traffic and environmental issues. Officials emphasized the urgency of planning funeral facilities as Taiwan approaches a super-aged society by 2025, with a rising death rate. The current capacity of New Taipei's funeral parlor, with over 13,600 annual ceremonies and 321,500 freezer slots, is expected to reach its limit by 2031.
The bureau is evaluating eight potential sites for new facilities but faces challenges such as land acquisition and relocation of existing residents. The bureau aims to modernize and integrate new facilities, including ceremony halls, freezers, and multifunctional rooms, to create a brighter and cleaner mourning environment. The bureau plans to expand parking and reroute traffic to reduce impact on nearby residents. The third public briefing tomorrow at Wende Elementary School's (板橋文德國小) activity center in Banqiao District will further address these plans, and gather community feedback.
