Bill C-201: An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (Volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services)

NDP MP Gord Johns (Courtenay – Alberni), joined by Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) Board Member Paul Boisonneault, on behalf of CAFC President Ken McMullen, Brian Starkell from Volunteer Firefighters of Canada and Dale Kirsch, President of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, called on the Liberals to increase the volunteer firefighter and search and rescue tax credit from $3,000 to $10,000.

The hundreds of fires raging across Canada have put intense strain on volunteer firefighters – who make up more than 70 per cent of Canada’s firefighting efforts.

“Wildfires have been burning through communities all over Canada and destroying land like we’ve never seen before. It’s never been clearer that we need to have the strongest fire force and search and rescue team possible,” said Johns. “But the reality is, that the volunteers we rely on are exhausted. They’re working full-time jobs outside of fighting fires, taking on more paid work to keep up with rising costs, and they just can’t keep volunteering on the side.”

Of Canada’s 126,000 firefights, more than 90,000 are volunteers, many of whom work in rural fire stations. But Canada is facing a volunteer firefighter and search and rescue shortage. Fire chiefs report having difficulty finding and retaining new volunteer firefighters. From last year, there’s been a 10 per cent decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters in Canada.

In 2021, Johns brought forward a bill to help volunteer firefighters and search and rescue teams with growing costs and encourage retention and hiring, by increasing the volunteer firefighter and search and rescue tax credit. Johns re-introduced the bill again last winter.

“If we’ve learned anything over the last few weeks, it’s how important our firefighters are to keeping communities safe. These hard-working people are there when we need them the most. We need to be doing everything possible to support these volunteers. But the Liberals don’t seem to think there’s an issue,” added Johns. “The NDP believes we should be supporting these heroic firefighters by giving them this well-deserved tax break.”

Read the full Bill C-201 

Click Here to Watch MP Gord Johns Present Rescue Tax Credit Petition

Click Here to Watch MP Gord Johns urge Federal Government to Support Bill on Emergency Services Tax Credit

Click Here to Watch Gord Johns presents petition calling for Extended Tax Credits for Volunteer Firefighters

Click Here to Watch MP Gord Johns Tables Bill to Increase Volunteer Firefighter and Search and Rescue Tax Credit

Click Here to Watch MP Johns tables private Members bill to financially support volunteer firefighters

Click Here to Watch MP Johns presents petition calling on the government to financially support volunteer firefighters

 

Currently, Bill C-201 had 21, 514 certified signatures, 91 certified petitions, and over 164 communities across Canada are in support of this bill. These communities include; 

British Columbia (BC): 

  1. Nanaimo
  2. Thetis Island
  3. Shawnigan Lake
  4. Cowichan Bay
  5. Nakusp
  6. Lantzville
  7. Cumberland
  8. Hixon
  9. Duncan
  10. Logan Lake
  11. Nanoose Bay
  12. Otter Point
  13. Winlaw
  14. Quesnel
  15. New Hazelton
  16. Castlegar
  17. Kelowna
  18. Piers Island
  19. Malahat
  20. Qualicum Beach
  21. Princeton-Penticton
  22. Powell River and Surrey
  23. Enderby

Manitoba (MB):

  1. St. Anne
  2. Springfield
  3. Teulon-Rockwood
  4. Carberry
  5. Neepawa
  6. Miami
  7. Arborg
  8. Malonton
  9. East Selkirk
  10. Roland
  11. Morden
  12. Erickson
  13. Rathwell
  14. Gilbert Plains
  15. Ethelbert
  16. Minnedosa
  17. Swan River
  18. Beausejour
  19. East Selkirk
  20. Roblin
  21. St. Paul
  22. Kleefeld
  23. Emerson-Franklin
  24. Fort Garry
  25. Ninette

Nova Scotia (NS):

  1. Sydney
  2. Stellarton
  3. Port Medway
  4. Bridgewater
  5. Halifax
  6. Ludenburg
  7. Pleasantville
  8. New Germany
  9. Weymouth
  10. St. Peters
  11. Pomquet
  12. Wileville
  13. Port Alberni
  14. Mill Village
  15. Lockeport
  16. Riverport
  17. North East Harbour
  18. Barrington Passage
  19. Bickerton West
  20. Brookfield
  21. Loch Lomond, Enon
  22. Northside East Bay

Quebec (QC):

  1. Valcourt
  2. Coaticook
  3. Montmagny
  4. Richmond
  5. Begin
  6. Ville de Bedford
  7. Lac-Megantic
  8. Val-Joli/Windsor
  9. St-Pamphile
  10. Val-d’Or

Alberta (AB):

  1. Stettler
  2. Hinton
  3. Stony Plain
  4. Hairy Hill
  5. Warburg
  6. Thorsby

Ontario (ON):

  1. Carlow/Mayo
  2. Papineau-Cameron
  3. Beamsville
  4. Kippen
  5. Shelburne
  6. Russell
  7. Stratford
  8. Uxbridge
  9. Canfield and Cayuga
  10. Sebringville
  11. Wawa

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL):

  1. Lourdes
  2. Grand Bank
  3. South Brook
  4. Gander Bay
  5. Bay de Verde
  6. Sandy Cove
  7. Glovertown
  8. St. Marys
  9. Shippagan

Saskatchewan (SK):

  1. Abbey
  2. Melfort
  3. Redvers
  4. Lake Lenore
  5. Young
  6. Pense

New Brunswick (NB):

  1. Bertrand
  2. Shippagan

Northwest Territories (NT):

  1. Rankin Inlet

Nunavut (NU):

  1. Iqaluit

Prince Edward Island (PEI):

  1. Summerside
  2. Charlottetown

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