Bid to boost tax break for volunteer firefighters as brigades struggle with retention | CityNews Calgary

Alberta volunteer firefighter Alison Archambault calls it her “soul work.”

But that doesn’t imply some extra assist at tax time wouldn’t be welcome too.

A tax credit score for volunteer firefighters at the moment stands at $3,000, however Archambault, a volunteer in Redwood Meadows outdoors Calgary, stated “any increase is appreciated” to assist with prices akin to automobile upkeep.

“Volunteer fire departments in general are having recruitment challenges and retention challenges and (an) increase in the tax writeoff is just another tool to make being a volunteer firefighter more attractive and staying a volunteer firefighter more attractive,” stated Archambault, whose common job is in public relations.

Others agree, and a push is underway to lift the tax credit score after Canada’s worst wildfire season on report.

B.C. member of Parliament Gord Johns has been working with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to attempt to enhance the credit score for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to $10,000. 

A petition to the House of Commons acquired greater than 16,000 signatures in assist of the rise, and Johns’ invoice to make the change handed its first studying in the home this month.

Johns stated emergency providers volunteers deserve a break from inflation and rising dwelling prices. 

“They’re taking on more paid work to keep up with rising costs and they just can’t keep volunteering at this scale,” he stated. 

“We rely on them. They save taxpayers money. Retaining volunteer firefighters is a huge challenge with the increase in inflation and there’s been a huge decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters in the country.”

He stated there are 20 volunteer fireplace departments and search and rescue groups in his personal using of Courtenay-Alberni on Vancouver Island, and elevating the tax credit score can be “low-hanging fruit” at little value to public coffers. 

“It’s certainly going to let them know that Canadians actually care and value them and that they’re appreciated because they’re saving all local governments across the country money and provincial governments money,” he stated.

 “Government needs to seize this moment. It’s actually a very inexpensive way to support recruitment and show value to those firefighters and search and rescue personnel, and they deserve it. They’re putting their lives on the line for us.” 

Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, stated 2023 was a really “tough year” for volunteer firefighters, after “the most extreme wildfire activity ever.” 

“We expect another tough year in 2024,” he stated. 

McMullen stated there have been 156,000 volunteer firefighters in Canada in 2016, however that was all the way down to 126,000 in 2022. 

Increasing the tax credit score can be a small step in countering the downward pattern. “We believe that it’ll keep their morale up, which is needed now more than ever,” he stated. 

McMullen stated recruitment and retention might be going through stress due to the vary of dangers confronted by first responders, from accidents and elevated most cancers charges, to the psychological well being toll of going through emergency conditions. 

There are additionally much less harmful choices for would-be volunteers, he stated, akin to native sports activities groups or youth teams. 

“Whatever the case may be, we have seen a reduction of individuals choosing to do the at-risk volunteering,” he stated. 

The proposed hike within the tax credit score is only one method the federal government might enhance issues for volunteers, McMullen stated. 

He stated he additionally hopes the federal authorities will restore a program that led to 2013 that allowed fireplace departments to use for funding for specialised tools and coaching. 

He stated the nation would additionally “greatly benefit” if there was a nationwide fireplace adviser, giving firefighters a voice on the federal degree just like the U.S. Fire Administration. 

McMullen stated he and dozens of different chiefs had been in Ottawa this month to deliver their message to policymakers. 

NDP MP Johns stated there’s been a irritating lack of acknowledgment on the problem.

“Everybody’s connected in a rural community to the volunteer fire department,” he stated. “If (the government) wants to start showing Canadians that they’re serious about listening to rural Canadian needs, this is one thing that they need to do to actually demonstrate that they’re listening to rural Canada, and they’re not doing that.” 

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Dec. 18, 2023.

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press