Smaller fire departments struggling to meet Ontario certification deadline

Ontario’s NFPA firefighter certification deadline has small volunteer departments like Iroquois Falls struggling, citing testing bottlenecks & rural challenges.

By July 1, all firefighters in Ontario must be certified to National Fire Protection Association standards. The province said this will ensure a consistent baseline of knowledge and skills across Ontario fire departments.

But some smaller northern municipalities said meeting the deadline has been a challenge.

The Timiskaming–Cochrane MPP said the Iroquois Falls Fire Department is feeling pressure as the deadline approaches.

“Make the certification process work for people who work full-time at other jobs,” said MPP John Vanthof.

“If the certification process is only offered once in a while, or you have to travel to get certified, as a result people are going, ‘You know what? We’re not going to join,’ or ‘We’re not going to finish the process.”

Currently, only proctors and evaluators from the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal are qualified to facilitate firefighter evaluations and certifications.

Iroquois Falls Fire Chief Dan Boucher said that creates additional obstacles for volunteer firefighters.

“They have full-time jobs, family commitments, and whatnot,” said Boucher.

“Let the departments themselves be able to administer the testing. That’s all we’re asking.”

The Timmins Fire Department said it has had an easier time preparing its members.

“With Timmins being a regional training centre, we’re able to run courses often to try to keep up with this impending deadline,” said Michael Stansa, chief training officer with the Timmins Fire Department.

Boucher said the consequences of not meeting the certification deadline could be significant for Iroquois Falls.

“Our department could become an exterior-attack-only department and also lose our certification for extrication services on Highway 11, which we cover for a good portion of the highway,” said Boucher.

Boucher and Vanthof are now calling on the province to make the certification process more convenient for volunteer firefighters. They told CTV News they plan to raise the issue at next week’s Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference in Timmins.