Union for MNR fire rangers says new funding won’t fix systemic issues

The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won’t fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

The provincial and federal governments recently provided a combined $64 million to strengthen Ontario’s Wildland Fire program.

Minister Graydon Smith made the announcement at the MNR hanger in Sault Ste Marie.

"With each of us investing $32 million over four years for a total of $64 million to purchase equipment and provide training for personnel," Smith told the crowd.

With the forest fire season coming to an end, Smith said the province is preparing for the future by hiring and training more staff.

"You’ve been heroes in many different jurisdictions," he said.

"You’ve made … Ontarians proud this season and every season. And I want you to know that we’ll make sure you have what you need to answer the call for your province."

The announcement creates more than 100 additional permanent positions within the wildland fire program, $5 million to help attract and retain wildland firefighting staff and supporting wildland firefighters with improved access to benefit entitlements and eligibility for the same benefits as municipal firefighters.

But the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents more than 140 MNR fire ranger across the province, said money won't make deep-rooted problems go away.

The provincial and federal governments recently provided a combined $64 million to strengthen Ontario’s Wildland Fire program. (File)

"It’s very clear that these single investments do not work for the systemic issues in our program," said Noah Freedman, OPSEU vice-president in northern Ontario.

Instead of one-time financial investments, OPSEU wants the provincial government to reclassify its fire rangers — also called resource technicians — to reflect the workplace dangers they face and the sacrifices they make.

Once this occurs, Freedman said the workers would then be compensated properly.

The union has been advocating for this for more than a year, because it’s driving experienced firefighters away.

"What we have now are young people aged 21, 22-years-old leading younger people 18, 19 into wildfires to put them out," Freedman said.

"And without trying to spell disaster it’s a really unsafe thing that we’re doing."

He said Caroline Mulroney, the president of Ontario’s Treasury Board, could reclassify MNR fire rangers.

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The Ministry has said previously a review is underway, but no timelines have been given.

"As the organizational review of firefighter classification by the OPS (Ontario Public Service) is underway, it would be inappropriate to comment further," an MNR spokesperson said in a statement to CTV News.

The MNR said there have been 450 wildland fires during the 2024 fire season in the province, with 89,395 hectares of forest burned.

Ontario deployed staff, equipment and aircraft to Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories.