Key Takeaways:
- The Ontario government has launched a new program to reimburse northern municipalities for unincorporated fire services.
- According to Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, many municipal fire departments in the north are run by volunteer firefighters.
The Ontario government has launched a new program to reimburse northern municipalities for unincorporated fire services.
On Saturday, the province’s Ministry of the Solicitor General announced.
“Through this reimbursement program, the province is allocating funds to help northern municipalities recover costs associated with search as well as rescue, medical, motor vehicle collision, and property fires which are not covered by any other financing agreements,” the ministry said during a news release.
According to Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, many municipal fire departments in the north are run by volunteer firefighters.
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“This new program will make it easier for municipalities to recoup prices linked with responding to emergency calls for assistance,” Jones stated.
In a news release, Danny Whalen, president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, expressed gratitude to the government for “listening to and acting on our northern concerns.”
“Northern municipalities rely on their volunteer fire departments to keep them safe. They provide valuable on-call services to their home communities and never want to deprive anyone who needs their skills and knowledge. Today’s important announcement recognizes the valuable services these volunteers provide and provides a level of security to those who answer the phone, “Whalen remarked.
“I am pleased that the Ford government has reacted to our worries as the long-serving mayor of a township that borders an unincorporated municipality. This funding declaration will allow us to continue providing emergency services to unincorporated areas without putting an undue financial strain on our municipal taxpayers, “Kevin Holland, mayor of Conmee Township, west of Thunder Bay, agreed.
Rob Grimwood, president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, said his organization is pleased to see the Northern Fire Protection Program expand in a news release.
The following services are covered by this new reimbursement stream, which will be administered by Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal:
Structure fires and carbon monoxide poisonings are two of the most common carbon monoxide poisonings.
Search and rescue operations, as well as emergency medical care, are underway.
Collisions involving motor vehicles on roads that are not provincial highways.
Requests for hazardous materials.
Source: CTV news
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