Whereas volunteer and composite fire departments across British Columbia provide essential emergency services to local, often rural and remote communities and often rely on local government budgets to meet provincially required training standards; And whereas members of volunteer departments frequently pursue paid full time firefighting positions elsewhere in the province, creating a mobility dynamic that benefits the provincial emergency system but places training costs on local taxpayers: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM respectfully request that the Government of British Columbia: i Establish a Provincial Volunteer Firefighter Training Fund to cover the cost of provincially mandated training for volunteer and composite fire departments across the Province; and ii Encourage sustainable cost sharing options whereby the Province covers a baseline percentage of training costs and local governments contribute a predictable matching share.
