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UPDATE APRIL 14, 2024: The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) applauds the announcement by Minister of Emergency Preparedness that Budget 2024 would double the volunteer firefighter and search and rescue tax credit. Read the press release here: https://cafc.ca/page/volunteer-tax-credit-increase, and view the clip below.

Census 2023 showed that there are 126,000 firefighters in Canada, of which 90,000 are volunteer. These volunteer firefighters provide fire and all hazard emergency services to their communities. Many of them receive some form of pay on call, an honorarium, or are given some funding to cover expenses, but they do not draw a living wage from firefighting.

Of the volunteer firefighters, more than 30% are over the age of 50. We need to ensure that we don’t lose the volunteer firefighters we have prematurely, and that we can attract new volunteer firefighters as others reach retirement.

We are asking the Federal Government to increase the volunteer firefighter and search and rescue tax credit from $3,000 to $10,000 dollars for the 200 hours, as proposed by MP Gord Johns in Bill C-310. The tax credit has not been increased since its inception. 

Below you will find a series of articles focusing on volunteer firefighter shortage, recruitment and retention. Check back as the CAFC reviews resources and continues to update this webpage. 

News Articles:

• Before likely ‘ferocious’ wildfire season, fire chiefs worry about drop in volunteers - World News Era, 11/04/2024 CA

• Firefighters tax credit - CBC On the Go 11/04/2024, CA

• Fire chiefs applaud federal increase to volunteer firefighter tax credit - FireFighting in Canada 11/04/2024, CA

• Canada heading into wildfire season with above-average temps, minimal snow - CTV News 10/04/2024, CA

• Canada bracing as drought raises risk of repeating unprecedented wildfires - Victoria News 10/04/2024, CA

• Manitouwadge voices support for Bill C-310 - The Peterborough Examiner 01/04/2024, ON

• Cape Breton volunteer fire department shuts down due to lack of volunteers - CBC News 30/03/2024, NS

• Rexton volunteer fire department threatens to walk-out - CBC News 20/03/2024, NB

• ‘It's scary’: Crew leader demands changes to wildland fire program - New Market Today 13/03/2024, ON

• Volunteer fire departments having trouble with recruitment -The Peterborough Examiner 05/03/2024, SK

• Union representing forest firefighters sounding alarm over staffing shortage ahead of fire season – CTV News 04/03/2024, CAN

• Calvin’s fire chief knows new bill will attract more firefighters 30/01/2024, CAN

• Canadian fire services face increasing staff challenges, shortages - Fort Francis Times 04/01/2024, ON

• Bid to boost tax break for volunteer firefighters as brigades struggle with retention - CTV News 15/12/2023

• Regional District of Fraser-Fort George suspends emergency services at Bear Lake Volunteer Fire Department – My PG Now 05/12/2023, BC

• Canada's fire chiefs to press Ottawa for money after worst-ever wildfire season – CBC 05/12/2023, CAN

• Town, county in desperate need of volunteer firefighters - Town and Country Today 09/10/2023, ON

• 'Rolling the dice with public safety': Orillia firefighters raise alarm over Station 2 closures - Simcoe Today 11/09/2023, ON

• Answering at a moment's notice: How volunteer firefighting works in Canada - CBC 25/08/2023, CAN
• Putting out fires - the demands on first responders - Northern Buzz August 2023 ON
• 'I'm trying to survive': N.S. volunteer firefighters in need of more financial help - CTV News 03/08/2023
• Volunteers needed for SLFD - Yahoo News 05/05/2023  SK
• Volunteers are the backbone of Canada's fire service - Lakeland Today 21/04/2023 AB
• Burton Fire could close due to lack of staff, chief says - Yahoo News 20/04/2023 BC
• New firefighters needed for Canora fire department - SaskToday 18/04/2023 SK
• Volunteer firefighter numbers dropped by 38.6% over pas decade - Sudbury news 23/03/3034 ON
• 'It's bad': St. Louis Fire chief calls for help in firefighter shortage - PA Now 04/05/2023, SK
• Volunteer firefighter numbers dropped by 38.6% over the past decade - Sudbury.com 23-03-2023, ON
• Strathroy-Caradoc's population is growing fast. And so is the workload on its firefighters - Yahoo 24/02/2023, ON
• 'Aggressive Recruiting':Flamborough feeling national firefighter recruitment decrease - The Spec 23/02/2023, ON
• Volunteer Vision: Reflecting on the fire service - Firefighting in Canada 22/02/2023, CAN
• NOTL fire department reports increasing demand for services - Yahoo News 22/02/2023, ON
• Caledon chief says recruiting and retaining active volunteers 'an ongoing issue' - St Catharines 20/02/2023, ON
  
• Recruitment drive underway for local volunteer fire department 19/02/2023, BC
• Coombs-Hilliers Fire Department recruiting volunteer firefighters - PQB News 19/02/2023, BC
• Greater Sudbury community worried volunteer fire hall will close - CTV News 16/02/2023, ON
• Volunteer firefighters a lifeline in rural Alberta with EMS under strain - CBC 15/02/2023, AB
• What EMS Shortages mean for volunteer firefighters - CBC 13/02/2023, AB
• MacGregor Fire Department recruiting to their team - Local News 12/02/2023, MB
• Denbigh Fire Station May Close Says Fire Chief - Frontenac News 08/02/2022, ON
• Hamilton Fire Service struggles to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters - The Spec 08/02/2023, ON
• Firefighters wanted in in forest Grove - 100 Mile Fire Press 29/01/2023, BC
• More Calls, fewer firefighters: Canadian Fire Chiefs Call for Help - City News Ottawa 07/12/2022, CAN

• Canadian Firefighters Call for More Support Amid Shortage - CTV News Canada 6/12/2022, CAN

• Canada facing firefighter shortage - CTV Your Morning 5/12/2022, CAN

• How the Volunteer Firefighter Shortage is Affecting Canadian Communities - FireWise 1/11/2022, BC

• Remote NW BC community without fire department due to volunteer shortage - HS, Dease Lake 26/10/2022, BC

• Union blames City for volunteer firefighter shortage - Sudbury News 21/10/2022, ON

• Under Fire: Volunteer Firefighter Shortage putting Canadian Communities in Danger - CTV W5 2/10/2022, CAN

• Fewer firefighters means shorter response times, jeopardizing lives - CTV News 4/10/2022, ON

• Vancouver Island village suspends firefighting services amid staff shortage - Victoria buzz 31/05/2022, BC

• 30 volunteer firefighters trained to address serious shortages in Kawartha Lakes - Kawartha 411 17/05/2022, ON

• Shortage of volunteer firefighters in Ottawa kickstarts hiring blitz - City News Ottawa 10/05/2022, ON

• W5 Investigates shortage of volunteer firefighters in communities across Canada - CTV 2022, CAN

• Rural volunteer fire services & the sustainability of older volunteerism in ageing rural communities 12/2021, CAN

• Volunteer firefighter shortage continues in PEI - CBC 11/2021, PEI

• Attracting, retaining volunteer firefighters a challenge - Toronto Star 10/01/2021, ON

Reports

• Great Canadian Fire Census (2023) - CAFC
• Great Canadian Fire Census (2022) - CAFC
• Great Canadian Volunteer Fire Census (2021) - CAFC

Related resources

• Canada Answers the Call - CAFC
• Petition in Support of Volunteer Firefighters and Search and Rescue personnel - CAFC

French News Articles

• Des pompiers recherchés partout au Canada - Radio Canada 21/12/2022, CAN 
  
• Des pompiers recherchés partout au Canada - Radio Canada 12/12/2022, CAN
• Des pompiers de 16 ans pour contrer la pénurie - Le journal de Québec 11/12/2022, QC
• Une fusion des casernes de pompiers volontaires dans la grand Sudbury? - Radio Canada 6/12/2022, ON
• La SOPFEU lance une campagne de recrutement - TVA 06/12/2022, QC
• Des pompiers permanents à Nicolet pour contrer la pénurie de main-d'oeuvre - TVA 06/12/2022, QC
• Matane et Matanie envisagent un regroupement de leurs service incendie - Radio Canada 5/12/2022, QC
• Dolbeau-Mastassini peine a recruter des pompiers - Radio Canada 05/12/2022, QC
• Un seul responsable des pompiers pour trois municipalités - Radio Canada 15/11/2022, QC
• Les difficultés de recrutement de pompiers auxiliaires perdurent - Radio Canada 28/10/2022, QC
• Pompiers volontaires recherchés - Radio Gaspésie 26/10/2022, QC
• Recherche urgente de pompiers volontaires à percé - TVA 24/10/2022, QC
• Pénurie de main-d'oeuvre: les employés municipaux en fuite - Le Droit 14/10/2022, QC
• Denholm à la recherche de pompiers et de premiers répondants - CHGA 10/08/2022. QC