Would bigger volunteer firefighter tax credit boost recruits? ‘We can’t wait’ – National | 24CA News
Calls are rising for a rise to the volunteer firefighter tax credit score to attempt to bump up recruitment amid what one longtime firefighter calls a “crisis” of their ranks.
NDP MP Gord Johns has put ahead a non-public member’s invoice (C-310) to spice up the tax credit score, saying in a press convention Wednesday that it’s “critical” the federal authorities doesn’t wait till the top of the hearth season to “show respect” for volunteers.
Johns was joined at Parliament Hill by representatives from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association and the Volunteer Firefighters of Canada.
Former CAFC president Paul Boissonneault expressed his help for the movement, saying there are at the very least 15,000 vacancies for firefighters within the nation. The quantity is even larger when together with search and rescue personnel.
“I dare say we are in a crisis,” Boissonneault mentioned.
“The impacts, financial challenges, are drastically changing the landscape of our firefighters and the amount of staffing and resources we have.”
The CAFC represents 126,000 firefighters. According to Boissonneault, that quantity was up by 30,000 simply seven years in the past.
Municipal hearth departments are operating into recruitment challenges as a result of greater than 40 per cent have needed to defer coaching and new gear amid monetary constraints, in accordance with a CAFC survey that was launched in December 2022.
“Trying to maintain well-trained, well-prepared and ready-to-respond firefighters and search and rescue personnel is probably… our biggest challenge right now,” Boissonneault mentioned.
Volunteer firefighters presently obtain $3,000 yearly in tax credit — a quantity that hasn’t modified because it was established in 2013. Johns is proposing a rise to $10,000 which he predicts would value the federal government a complete of $30 million a yr.
Boissonneault mentioned he acknowledges “these are tough economic times,” however changing even 1 / 4 of volunteer firefighters with full-time employees would value “exponentially more,” making the concept of a tax profit probably extra possible.
Boissonneault additionally emphasised the necessity for elevated help because the nation offers with a ferocious wildfire season, impacting volunteer firefighters’ households, communities and companies.
“This is why we are asking, whether through Mr. Johns’ private member’s bill or if there are other means that can be more expeditious, for an increase in the firefighter tax credit,” Boissonneault mentioned.
In response to a reporter’s query in regards to the chance of the federal government passing the invoice, Johns mentioned the House of Commons has acknowledged the proposal and recommended volunteer firefighters for his or her exhausting work, however extra nonetheless must be achieved.
“(Minister of Public Safety of Canada) Bill Blair sites that he thinks this is a great idea, but that’s not good enough. He even alludes to maybe this is something they can look at in the future. We can’t wait,” he mentioned.
Months earlier than the wildfire season began, the CFAC warned of diminishing numbers of each profession and volunteer firefighters throughout the nation.
As of June 21, 417 energetic wildfires had been burning in Canada with 198 uncontrolled, in accordance with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
“We’re starting to see that lack of sustainability in these long, drawn-out events similar to what we’re seeing right now,” mentioned Ken McMullen, CFAC president in an interview with Global News.
“Unfortunately, the reality is we may see individuals walk away from their volunteer position after they’ve been on such a prolonged event similar to this one.”
Because volunteers have already got full-time jobs, hanging the steadiness between their firefighting duties and common work might be “extremely challenging,” mentioned Mike Carter, sixth district vice chairman on the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).
“When you’re going out to a wildfire, it’s a very unknown, unpredictable situation and it’s not something that we do on a regular basis as firefighters,” Carter, who’s an energetic firefighter in Calgary, informed Global News.
Since it’s voluntary work, there isn’t any pay however individuals could also be entitled to stipends, reimbursements and a federal tax credit score for his or her providers.
“This is a really important ask and it’s timely,” Johns mentioned Wednesday, referring to his proposed invoice. “They need to get in front of this. They can’t wait until the end of the fire season to show respect to these volunteers.”
– with recordsdata from Global News’ Saba Aziz
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
