Alberta Paramedics

[mariomike]

Just as an observer, the professional firefighter unions' objections to 'double hatters' always struck me as bizarre. The argument kept shifting from staffing and availability (what if a volunteer FF got tied up and couldn't meet his profession shift) to 'ensuring the standards of the profession, liability, risk to public safety, etc. - pretty much every evil. They not only take a position against it (which I kinda-sorta get because VFFs are non-union) actively advocating against it.

My former neighbour was a professional firefighter. He works about 10 days a month because of 24-hour shifts. For firefighters working for large services in the GTA and living in rurals, why not give back to your community for the other 20+ days? The benefits to the small rural departments is immense.

Thankfully, the Ontario government put an end to unions prohibiting double-hatting a few years ago.

Ottawa volunteer FFs are represented by the Christian Labour Association of Canada CLAC.

https://www.clac.ca/CLAC-Facts

Salary $20.389 - $25.494 per hour (2025 rates of pay)

https://firerecruitment.ca/job/rural-firefighter-ottawa-2026/

TFS has a very nice schedule with 24- hour tours

TFS OPS Shift Calendar

We worked twenty 12-hour shifts every six weeks.

 

[mariomike]

You mean unless they decide to moonlight elsewhere or quit to work elsewhere?

There is a gentle off-ramp from 9-1-1 Operations. Now .

Since 2016 , Cumulative Mental Stress cases are removed from 9-1-1 operations, and permanently placed into a "suitable" job classification with The City. Maybe in a different department. I heard Parks Dept. is a popular choice.

Same employer. Same Benefits , OMERS pension , sick bank etc. continue uninterrupted.

Best of all , same salary , with all wage increases.

If the pre-injury rate of pay is higher than the relocated position rate, then the pre-injury rate is to be maintained. It is understood that the pre-injury rate is subject to all wage increases negotiated.

 

[lenaitch]

Ottawa volunteer FFs are represented by the Christian Labour Association of Canada CLAC.

https://www.clac.ca/CLAC-Facts

Salary $20.389 - $25.494 per hour (2025 rates of pay)

https://firerecruitment.ca/job/rural-firefighter-ottawa-2026/

TFS has a very nice schedule with 24- hour tours

TFS OPS Shift Calendar

We worked twenty 12-hour shifts every six weeks.

Thanks. Ottawa is somewhat unique (probably in more ways than one) because it is responsible for a large, populous city plus a georgraphically-large rural area. There are a few other large single tier municipalities, like Sudbury and Chatham-Kent, but not as 'unbalanced'.

 

[brihard]

Thanks. Ottawa is somewhat unique (probably in more ways than one) because it is responsible for a large, populous city plus a georgraphically-large rural area. There are a few other large single tier municipalities, like Sudbury and Chatham-Kent, but not as 'unbalanced'.

Ottawa’s geographic municipality is massive. It dwarfs (and could contain) Canada’s other major cities. It definitely makes for urban/rural challenges.

 

[mariomike]

Thanks. Ottawa is somewhat unique (probably in more ways than one) because it is responsible for a large, populous city plus a georgraphically-large rural area. There are a few other large single tier municipalities, like Sudbury and Chatham-Kent, but not as 'unbalanced'.

It would be nice if the part-time jobs go to young people hoping to promote to full-time careers in Emergency Services , when vacancies occur.

 

[lenaitch]

It would be nice if the part-time jobs go to young people hoping to promote to full-time careers in Emergency Services , when vacancies occur.

I don't know if Ottawa fire and EMS services have part-timers (I'm probably safe in assuming the police service does not). The use of volunteer firefighters, even solely or in a hybrid full-time and volunteer service, doesn't really lend itself to what would be normally considered part-time employment.

 

[mariomike]

The use of volunteer firefighters, even solely or in a hybrid full-time and volunteer service, doesn't really lend itself to what would be normally considered part-time employment.

The only volunteers I met on calls were Hatzolah.

I was under the rather misguided impression that volunteers only receive a stipend or honorarium.

But, it appears the vollies in Ottawa are members of a trade union.

 

[lenaitch]

But, it appears the vollies in Ottawa are members of a trade union.

Not according to this 2024 article. They applied to the Labour Relations Board but were denied.

"Last year, volunteers applied to the Ontario Labour Relations Board to unionize, the city’s report notes. The application was denied, but the board found that the firefighters could be considered employees under the Labour Relations Act. If nothing is done, “it is anticipated there will be continued discontent amongst rural firefighters,” warned the report."

They should be careful what they wish for. Becoming an employee of some status changes a lot of rules that might not be in their favour. If nothing else, as volunteers, they don't have to respond to every call.

 

[mariomike]

Not according to this 2024 article. They applied to the Labour Relations Board but were denied.



They should be careful what they wish for. Becoming an employee of some status changes a lot of rules that might not be in their favour. If nothing else, as volunteers, they don't have to respond to every call.

Thanks. Guess I was thinking of Hamilton volunteer firefighters. They are unionized.

COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT

Between

THE CITY OF HAMILTON

and

CLAC LOCAL 911
GREATER HAMILTON VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS
ASSOCIATION, CLAC LOCAL 911
(hereinafter referred to as "the Union")
DURATION: January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2027