That's spelled Cotoneaster. Sounds like they are history.

I removed a large one this winter and had just the dug-out stump sitting atop the ground, and it was sprouting leaves, so they may be pretty tough, but perhaps not tough enough to overwinter in Alberta. If you're not doing anything else with the planting spots until next spring, it would do no harm to try the cotoneasters.

It doesn't sound very promising but if there are some green leaves there may be life. Have you tried scraping away a bit of bark to see if the layer underneath is still green? If it is, I would agree with Larry that, if you can afford the space, to leave them over winter and see what happens in the spring.

Not too many cotoneaster varieties are hardy in Alberta but the cotoneaster lucidus (hedge cotoneaster) is from Siberia and is listed as zone 3. Just to be sure, I would give them some mulch and try to keep some snow on them in the coldest periods, if possible.

Hi - thanks all for your replies. We did as you said bobb and there is green on all the bark we tested. So, I think we will leave it alone until Spring and see what happens.