Ontario's rural affairs minister says he is sympathetic to the plight of volunteer firefighters who would have to give up their vacation time to qualify for their jobs under proposed new training rules.
Jeff Leal told The Recorder and Times that he has raised the training issue with the community safety minister after receiving concerns from rural fire departments in his riding of Peterborough.
"We're going to have a lot more discussion on this topic," Leal said of the proposed regulations under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.
Under the proposed changes, new firefighters - professionals and volunteers alike - would be required to take 250 hours of training courses within two years of joining a fire department.
For volunteers, the rules mean they would have to sacrifice six weeks of their vacation time over two years to travel to such locations as Gravenhurst for the training.
Municipalities fear that the rules would dry up the pool of recruits willing to become volunteer firefighters.
For many, the requirements would mean they would have to give up all their vacation for two years to meet the government's regulations.
Leal praised the dedication of volunteer firefighters, noting they carry pagers 24/7 and already give up many days a month to train. He promised to bring their concerns to Community Safety Minister Marie-France Lalonde.
"I can assure the rural communities around Brockville that we are making vigorous representations to the minister of community safety and corrections," Leal said in a telephone interview.
Leal could make no promises but said that he is "very, very hopeful" of change.
The minister was effusive in his praise of volunteer firefighters.
"There's no better trained men and women than those in the volunteer fire departments throughout rural Ontario," he said. "They've stepped forward to service their communities."
Augusta Township Fire Chief Bob Bowman raised the issue of the new training rules in a report to council this week in which he said he and other chiefs feared the new rules would would severely limit the number of new recruits to their departments.
Bowman emphasized that he and the chiefs have no quarrel with better training. But the rules should be changed to accommodate the needs of volunteers who serve their communities while holding down full-time jobs, Bowman said.
Bowman urged that the two-year period to complete the training be extended to four years. As well, the government should make it easier for firefighters to train closer to home.
Bowman also urged that the government provide volunteer departments with money to cover the new training costs. The extra money should go to the volunteers to attract new recruits and retain the veterans, he said.
The regulations would apply to recruits hired after Jan. 1, 2019.
Link to original article in Brockville Recorder: Minister ready to go to bat for firefighters