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.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
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.
Correction
Noah Freedman's first name was incorrect in the original article as Adam, it has been corrected.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CEO of N.B. potato chip company taking 'extended leave of absence' after arrest
The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.
Trudeau says Liberals 'strong and united' despite caucus dissent
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
Memorial growing outside Halifax Walmart where employee was found dead
A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.
Search efforts begin at Prairie Green Landfill: Manitoba government
A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.
'Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief': Bank of Canada Governor on interest rate cut
The Bank of Canada made a sizable cut to its key lending rate Wednesday from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent as the global economy continues to expand. The half percentage point cut is the fourth rate cut in a row by the central bank as inflation dropped from 2.7 per cent in June to 1.6 per cent in September.
Quarter Pounders are off the menu at 20 per cent of McDonald's in U.S. as E. coli cases are investigated
McDonald’s worked Wednesday to reassure customers that its U.S. restaurants are safe as federal investigators tried to pinpoint the cause of a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to the fast-food giant's Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
'Things are very hard here': Popular Toronto crossing guard asks community for help finding work
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
BREAKING Turkish jets strike Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following attack on defence company
Turkiye’s air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defence company that killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others.
Air Transat laying off hundreds of flight attendants, says cuts are temporary
Air Transat says it is laying off as many as 400 flight attendants, but plans to bring them back to work at some point.