Ontario to expand on benefits for municipal, wildland firefighters

Ontario is proposing new legislation that would make it easier for firefighters to receive certain workplace benefits.

Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini made the announcement from a firehall in Brantford on Monday.

In addition to reducing the time a firefighter would have to serve to become eligible for certain benefits, he says his government plans to make wildland firefighters eligible for the same benefit entitlements as municipal firefighters.

This includes things like cancers, heart injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“This is especially important as Ontario confronts a change in climate that brings new and extreme weather and wildfire risks,” Piccini said.

Piccini says the plan builds on previous strides taken by the government’s Working for Workers Act.

The plan includes a change to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act that would reduce the number of years of required employment a firefighter would need to be eligible for work-related skin cancer coverage — taking the current 15 year requirement down to 10.

The province says there is growing scientific evidence that shows firefighters and fire rangers are at an increased risk of developing skin cancer from exposure to carcinogens found in fireground dust.

The full plan is set to be unveiled in the coming weeks, the province says.