They face many of the same hazards and they often work alongside one another, so Centre Wellington Township is asking the province to treat part-time and volunteer firefigthters the same way it does full-time ones.
Council approved a resolution on Monday at its committee of the whole meeting asking the provincial government for the same benefits from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (presumptions for firefighters) as full-timers receive.
The township noted the legislation was originally passed in record time – a single day – with all party support.
That act recognized the urgent need to assist firefighters who develop job-related cancer or sustain a heart injury, when they file a claim with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
The township motion stated the legislature had been presented with scientific proven data and so it implemented the legislation “to immediately cover ‘full-time’ firefighters.”
Fire Chief Brad Patton told council that when the government passed the legislation for full-timers in 2007, the association of chiefs for volunteer firefighters immediately began lobbying to obtain the same treatment for their firefighters.
Instead, the government procrastinated to the point that the township said of its request, “The present provincial government in the past two years made promises through three Ministers of Labour, the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, assistant deputy-ministers and other levels of government, yet has failed to deliver the inclusion regulations for presumptive legislation for volunteer and part-time firefighters.”
The township also noted, “Volunteer and part-time firefighters are the backbone to the Ontario Fire Service. These brave men and women give their time and service to protect our homes, properties and families and deserve better.”
The resolution also pointed out “cancer and heart attacks do not discriminate between full-time, volunteer, and part-time firefighters.”
The resolution also stated, “There is no explanation other than the government is clearly discriminating against volunteer and part-time firefighters.”
Patton told council, “I believe it is discriminatory legislation.”
The township will send the resolution to Premier Dalton McGuinty, Minister of Labour Peter Fonseca, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Rick Bartolucci, local MPP Ted Arnott, Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader Bob Runciman, New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath, the Association of Municipalities (AMO), the Firefighters Association of Ontario (FFAO) and the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OACF).
Patton pointed out many rural firefighters respond to more fires than full-time city fire departments.
Council unanimously passed the resolution. Puslinch council also recently passed a similar motion.
