West Lincoln’s newest fire department pumper truck will be coming from Winnipeg, but how it will get to the west Niagara municipality from Manitoba is still to be determined.
“To get the best value and save some money, I think this is the right way to go,” fire Chief Dennis Fisher told township council Monday night before it voted 7-0 to spend about $952,000 to purchase an in-stock pumper truck from Fort Garry Fire Trucks rather than go the request for proposal (RFP) route that could include bids from U.S.-based companies.
Fisher said opting for an RFP would push the project past April 2, the date U.S. President Donald Trump previously announced 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S. would begin, although there have been indications from Washington, D.C., that may be revised.
In any event, U.S tariffs will trigger retaliatory tariffs by the Canadian government on some U.S. products coming into Canada and unless exempted, they could boost the cost of purchasing fire trucks made south of the border.
“The new tariffs coming in April 2, you’re probably looking at an increase of about $200,000 in tariffs alone,” Fisher told councillors.
Fisher said they recommended the purchase after Deputy Chief Tim Hofsink visited the manufacturer earlier this month.
He said about 60 per cent of the pumper truck was made by the Winnipeg company (the cab and the chassis were built in the U.S.), and purchasing an in-stock truck allows for delivery in about six weeks. In contrast, delivery could take up to two years for orders that need to be built and shipped.
Ward 3 (Smithville) Coun. William Reilly said he appreciates the township finding a domestic source for the pumper truck.
“It’s not so much local to West Lincoln, but the next best thing in terms of keeping as many Canada dollars as humanly possible in Canada during these times,” Reilly said. “There’s almost a million dollars that is not going to our American neighbours and, hopefully, not benefit their current leader and his agenda.”
How the new pumper truck will be delivered is not clear.
Fisher told council the contract with the Winnipeg company will see the pumper truck driven to West Lincoln.
But Ward 1 (Caistor) Coun. Mike Rehner asked if the rig could be shipped to West Lincoln on the back of a flatbed truck, eliminating wear and tear on the new unit.
“It’s a safer way to go and we’d get the truck in mint condition,” Rehner said.
Council directed staff to look into the cost and time frame of “freighting” the pumper truck to the municipality.
The new truck will replace Pumper 1, a nearly 20-year-old rig now in use by West Lincoln Fire and Emergency Services.
Earlier this year, West Lincoln council set aside $1 million in its capital budget for pumper truck replacement.
The report to council said purchasing the rig from Fort Garry Fire Trucks could result in a savings of as much as $48,000 for the township.