Ontario fire fighters will be safer on the job thanks to a $746,000 provincial investment in IAFF Fire Ground Survival (FGS) training and equipment.
The funding marks another key win for the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA), which has cultivated a strong relationship with the province’s Progressive Conservative government.
Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini announced the funding Sept. 15 at a firehall in Central York, joined by OPFFA and local affiliate leaders. The investment will support FGS train-the-trainer courses in Toronto the week of Oct. 6, with a second program planned for early 2026 at another location
The funding will also provide a new FGStruck and trailer for use in Ontario communities. The Fire Ground Survival program is a comprehensive curriculum developed using near misses, close calls and fire fighter fatalities to address the critical elements of fire ground survival in “Mayday” situations.
OPFFA President Greg Horton said the Association is proud to stand with Minister Piccini and the Ontario Government to deliver the vital training, which is being funded through the province’s Skills Development Fund (SDF).
“The IAFF Fire Ground Survival program equips the men and women who protect our province with the lifesaving training they need to keep communities safe. It’s critical that fire fighters across our province have continued access to the tools, training and equipment necessary to protect our communities,” Horton said.
He noted the announcement also reflects the relationship the OPFFA has cultivated with Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Government and Premier Doug Ford over the past several years, which has yielded many meaningful advances for OPFFA members and the communities they serve.
“Our historic endorsement of the Ford government reflected that record of partnership, and today’s SDF funding for Fire Ground Survival is another example of what we can accomplish when we work together. These investments don’t just protect fire fighters on the front lines, they strengthen the safety of every community in Ontario.”
The OPFFA holds an annual Legislative Conference at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto, an event regularly attended by Ford and senior cabinet ministers.
These investments don’t just protect fire fighters on the front lines, they strengthen the safety of every community in Ontario.
OPFFA President Greg Horton
Piccini said the FGS funding and the investment in advanced survival training will give more fire fighters the skills they need to stay safe in the most dangerous conditions. He added, “Our government will always stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women who have our backs when we need it the most.”
The OPFFA, which represents over 12,500 members in 83 Locals across Canada’s most populous province, has counted a number of important advances under Ontario’s PC Government, including grants for fire fighter safety equipment, previous funding for FGS training and funding for IAFF Peer Support Training in support of behavioural health for fire fighters.
The province has also expanded presumptive cancer coverage for professional fire fighters and moved forward on simultaneous fire and EMS dispatch, which helps ensure the closest available responders are dispatched to certain medical emergencies.