Volunteer Firefighters Considered Employees

WHEREAS unpaid volunteer firefighters are considered employees of local government under section 67 of the Local Government Act and are therefore excluded from being nominated for, being elected to, or holding local government office; AND WHEREAS this creates a hardship for small communities where both volunteer firefighters and those willing to seek election for local government are scarce: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities petition the Minister of Community Development to revise the Act to exempt unpaid volunteer firefighters from the definition of employee under section 67 of the Local Government Act, allowing them to be nominated for, elected to or hold local government office without having to resign from the fire department.