Global Courant
The NDP and Canadian Fire Chiefs are urging the federal government to increase the tax credit for volunteer firefighters as Canada experiences a tough wildfire season and a shortage of volunteer firefighters.
Courtenay – Alberni NDP MP Gord Johns told a press conference on Wednesday that the government should increase the tax credit for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue workers from $3,000 to $10,000.
“It is critical that the federal government shows respect for all those who make sacrifices to keep us safe,” he said.
“They all face the same challenges as all of us — rising cost of living, inflation — and they haven’t seen an increase in their tax credit.”
The call comes as fires rage across the country during what is expected to be one of the worst wildfire seasons in Canadian history.
Johns said that currently the tax credit saves a volunteer about $450 a year. Even with the proposed boost, he said, volunteers would still be out of money.
“Let’s be honest, we know this wouldn’t even cover the amount of money spent on fuel to get to the department during the calls… or the boots or the clothes they pay out of pocket to make sure that they are protecting their communities, or the missed work they have,” he said.
“We have heard the government say that they appreciate the work of volunteer firefighters and search and rescue personnel in this country, but they have not responded by showing them that they really matter.”
Johns introduced a private-initiative bill last year to increase the tax credit – Bill C-310.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released a report last year that estimated the cost of increasing the tax credit by the proposed amounts to be $171 million over five years.
The tax credit requires volunteers to complete at least 200 hours of volunteer fire service or qualifying search and rescue service during the tax year.
Volunteer shortage a ‘crisis’, says fire chief
The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) supports the proposal.
According to a census conducted by the CAFC in 2022there are approximately 90,000 volunteer firefighters in Canada and they make up 71 percent of all firefighters in the country.
The census also says about 15,000 fire stations are vacant.
Paul Boissonneault, fire chief in Oakville, Ontario, told the news conference that a tough economy is undermining hiring and retention efforts.
“The consequences, financial challenges, are dramatically changing the landscape of our firefighters and the amount of staff and resources we have,” he said.
“I dare say we are in a crisis because probably the biggest challenge right now is to retain well-trained, well-prepared and ready firefighters and search and rescue personnel.”
LOOK | Fire chief says volunteer shortage is at ‘crisis’ level
Fire chief says volunteer shortage is at ‘crisis’ level
Paul Boissonneault, of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, says there are about 15,000 volunteer firefighter vacancies across Canada.
Boissonneault said many rural and remote communities rely on volunteer firefighters because they can’t afford to maintain full-time fire departments.
He said an increased tax credit is cheaper than the alternatives.
“Replacing even a quarter of volunteer firefighters with full-time professional firefighters would cost exponentially more, and many communities would not be able to afford that cost,” he said.
The NDP said CAFC President Ken McCullen was scheduled to appear at the press conference but was unable to attend because he had been called in to fight the wildfires.
There are about 15,000 search and rescue volunteers in Canada, the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada said in an email.
Emergency Preparedness Secretary Bill Blair on Wednesday declined to support the proposal to increase the tax credit.
“We are looking at all the different ways we can recognize and support the important work of volunteer firefighters in this country,” Blair told reporters.
“They serve their communities well. They are an important part of Canada’s response to the wildfires that are happening.”
Johns said he hopes the government will soon back his proposal.
“This is a very important question and it comes at the right time. They need to get ahead of this. They can’t wait for the end of the fire season to pay respect to these volunteers,” he said.
