Did you know?
Canada continues to face a critical and escalating shortage of firefighters; every year, we continue to lose 9,000 out of an estimated 126,000. This significant decline leaves numerous communities throughout our vast country dangerously understaffed, jeopardizing their ability to effectively respond to emergencies.
Staffing shortage widely documented
Canada’s firefighter staffing shortage has been well-publicized across all media platforms and has been highlighted in multiple major reports over the past five years, including the recently released 2025 Great Canadian Fire Census: Results.
Fire Services across Canada have consistently faced several key challenges, including:
- budget limitations and obstacles;
- recruiting and retaining personnel;
- training personnel to certification standards;
- aging and lack of adequate apparatus, equipment and materials;
- aging and condition of fire halls/stations with their inadequate size and lacking modern design features and layouts—are failing to effectively protect firefighters and visitors from cancer risks, revealing a critical health and safety failure;
- providing the level of service outlined in their communities by-law, which Establishes and Regulates their Fire Department; and
- increased call volume—the largest percentage of calls is still in the emergency medical category.
Firefighter shortage: It’s not always a lack of will
In municipalities with full-time or composite staffing models, such as Fort Frances, previous full-time staffing levels were aggressively axed by the Town of Fort Frances Council. The department’s full-time staff—originally 10 firefighters and a deputy chief—was phased out until only five firefighters remained. This left the fire chief of the day without administrative or operational backup, while simultaneously managing a heavy volume of emergency response calls.
History of the Town of Fort Frances Fire Rescue Service (Department)
Upon joining the Town of Fort Frances Fire Department in February 1987, the active duty roster consisted of the following personnel:
- Full-time fire chief
- Full-time deputy fire chief
- Three full-time captains
- Seven full-time firefighters
- 20 volunteer firefighters (paid-on-call) listed on the roster
- Total full-time staffing was 12 personnel
- Note: Total staffing level was 32 personnel to protect our community
When I stepped into the role of fire chief/CEMC for the town in October 2016, the active-duty roster consisted of the following personnel:
- Full-time fire chief/CEMC (myself)
- One full-time captain of fire prevention & education
- Four Full-time firefighters
- 11 volunteer firefighters (Paid-On-Call) listed on the roster
- Total full-time staffing was six personnel
- Note: Total staffing level was 17 personnel listed on the roster
Full-time capacity building: Upward adjustments (2017, 2024-2025)
In 2017, I successfully secured a sixth full-time firefighter position following a comprehensive report and presentation. This brought our full-time staff to seven, establishing a clear precedent for growth. Although I have since retired, that momentum carried forward into successful negotiations between the town and the Professional Fire Fighters Association. This effort recently expanded our full-time frontline firefighting staffing level to eight, bringing the total full-time staffing level to nine personnel.
Volunteer firefighter (paid volunteer) capacity-building challenges
Recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters has always been a challenge in Fort Frances and throughout Canada. Currently, there are only nine volunteer firefighters listed on the town’s roster; the position has been posted on the town’s “employment opportunities” website for over six years! Most recently, an information session was held and if anyone missed that, there’s still time to apply. You can contact the fire chief at 807-274-9841 ext. 3 or email wriches@fortfrances.ca
Future capacity building: A community comparison
Despite being only slightly larger in population than Fort Frances, a community (Val Thérèse) within the Greater Sudbury area keeps four full-time firefighters on duty at all times. Surprisingly, Val Thérèse’s fire hall once operated without on-duty staff. This changed after a Coroner’s Inquest led to a permanent requirement for two full-time firefighters to be stationed there around the clock.
Following a 2020 Ontario Labour Board ruling, the previous staffing model of two full-time firefighters and volunteers was deemed unsafe. The community is now required to staff at least four career firefighters 24/7 for all initial structure fire calls.
Future negotiations in Fort Frances offer a pivotal opportunity to expand our full-time firefighting staff. Enhancing these numbers is essential for public safety, though the final results of these talks are yet to be determined.
Remember, taking the time to learn and practice injury prevention costs you nothing. Failing to do so, could lead to the unthinkable … the loss of your life and the lives of those you hold dear.
Safety—it starts with you.
