CANADA’S FIRE CHIEFS CALL FOR BUDGET TO ADDRESS URGENT NEEDS OF CANADIAN FIRE SERVICES

OTTAWA, January 29, 2007 –The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) today urged Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to ensure that urgent needs of Canada’s fire services are addressed in the up-coming federal Budget.

In particular, the CAFC wants the Finance Minister to create a personal income tax credit for volunteer firefighters.  In a letter to the Minister, Fire Chief Don Warden, Chair of the CAFC’s Government Relations Committee said “The almost 85,000 men and women who make up the volunteer fire services in this country routinely risk their lives to protect the lives and property of others. The citizens of their communities know that their form of volunteering is not only unique but is critical to fire protection and other emergency response in many areas.”

While a tax credit would provide a small measure of financial compensation to volunteer firefighters, who make up over 90% of fire service resources in Canada,   fire chiefs also see it as a valuable tool to help them recruit new volunteers especially in rural/remote communities.

The Standing Committee on Finance, in considering a private member’s bill to introduce this tax measure in the previous Parliament, offered general support but wanted answers to a number of questions before giving its endorsement. Despite a position paper from the CAFC addressing all of the Committee’s questions, the measure did not make it into the 2006 Budget.  The Committee’s response to a renewed request in the CAFC’s pre-Budget hearing submission in October 2006 was a recommendation for further study.

“We have answered all the Committee’s questions. It has been looking at this matter for well over a year. It is time for the Finance Minister to act by including this item in the upcoming Budget,” Chief Warden stated.

The CAFC also reiterated the urgency of Budget provision for:

• funding for handheld communications devices for first responders

• continued funding for the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program

• establishment of an Office of National Fire Advisor to ensure national standards in  training and equipment; financing and organizing deployment of fire services  in case of a national emergency; and collection of national fire-related statistics.

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Information:

Fire Chief Don Warden
Tel: 705-429-5281
Cell: 705-444-9745

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