A Vancouver Island NDP MP has secured a tax break for volunteer firefighters and search and rescue members in the 2024 federal Liberal budget.
Gord Johns, from the riding of Courtenay-Alberni, has lobbied for several years to double the tax credit that volunteer firefighters receive in exchange for the hours they log responding to emergency calls.
含羞草研究社淟ast summer, we all saw how devastating the wildfires were. They forced communities to evacuate and people to flee their homes,含羞草研究社� said Johns. 含羞草研究社淚t was the volunteer firefighters and search and rescue responders at the front of this nationwide emergency含羞草研究社攁nd many had to go on leave from their jobs to do it.
含羞草研究社淏eing a volunteer firefighter is entirely at one含羞草研究社檚 own expense, and with how high costs have risen, it含羞草研究社檚 become more difficult for many to do this life-saving work.含羞草研究社�
The budget document released April 16, 2024 will increase tax credits from $3,000 to $6,000. This will give volunteer responders up to an additional $450 back on their taxes, at an estimated cost to government of $105 million over six years. The credit will start this year.
Across the country, 71 percent of Canada含羞草研究社檚 126,000 firefighters are volunteer, according to the most recent Great Canadian Fire Census. In 2021 Johns worked with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) and the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association to bring forward a bill to help fire departments and SAR groups increase the tax credit for volunteers. He re-introduced the bill again in 2023.
The CAFC applauded the decision. 含羞草研究社淭his is a strong and meaningful recognition of the essential firefighting and search and rescue personnel that volunteer in our communities every day and particularly during a gruelling wildfire season,含羞草研究社� said Chief Ken McMullen, president of the CAFC. 含羞草研究社淲e can含羞草研究社檛 do enough for these individuals, but this is a great start.含羞草研究社�
Over the past two years, fire chiefs, their departments and many others from across the country have generated data, prepared briefs, signed petitions, contacted their MPs, asked municipal councils to pass resolutions and more. Results from the 2023 Great Canadian Fire Census helped paint the 含羞草研究社減owerful but precarious含羞草研究社� picture of volunteer firefighter involvement across the country, according to the CAFC. A total of 534 departments from all types submitted data.
Fire chiefs in Johns含羞草研究社� home riding say the tax benefit will be a good tool for recruitment and retention of volunteers.
Cherry Creek Volunteer Fire Department Chief Lucas Banton is five members down from full strength right now含羞草研究社攈e usually has a complement of 25 firefighters for his regional district just outside of Port Alberni含羞草研究社檚 city boundaries.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 an acknowledgment of the work being done by volunteers含羞草研究社n an area where we含羞草研究社檙e getting less and less volunteers,含羞草研究社� Banton said. 含羞草研究社淚t is meaningful.含羞草研究社�
Ucluelet Fire Chief Rick Geddes agreed that the tax benefit will be another tool in his toolbox to retain volunteer firefighters. Geddes is one of two paid members in his department that includes 19 volunteers and room for more.
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 not a lot of perks含羞草研究社� for volunteer firefighters or search and rescue members含羞草研究社攖he people who give their time to serve their community, Geddes said. 含羞草研究社淥ften there is a loss of wages when volunteers get called to put out a fire or attend a call.含羞草研究社� In the past labour unions would have it written into their employment contracts that a company would pay wages of anyone called to fight a fire, but there are fewer companies willing to do that, he added.
Volunteers will have to serve a minimum of 200 hours in order to qualify for the tax credit. That can add up quickly for active volunteers, says Geddes.
He thanked Johns for taking the initiative. 含羞草研究社淔ire chiefs across Canada are all very thankful for this campaign.含羞草研究社�
