Canadian government announces funding for IAFF wildland response training

April 12, Canada – The Canadian government will fund the IAFF Responding to the Interface (RTI) training program as part of a commitment to improve wildland firefighting response capabilities in Canada.

The government announced April 7 that it has allotted $37.9 million in its 2022 federal budget for wildland firefighting, including $600,000 in ongoing funding for the IAFF RTI program, which will help the federal government honour its commitment to provide wildland response training to 1,000 fire fighters.

Due to climate change and other factors, such as suburban expansion, wildfires are an increasing threat especially in western Canada, including remote and First Nations communities.

An IAFF survey from 2020 found that wildland response training was lacking or out of date in a majority of urban fire departments.

“Our IAFF Responding to the Interface program is tried and tested in the United States and we’re looking forward to getting it going in Canada as soon as possible so that fire fighters can safely and effectively protect their fellow citizens when wildfires occur,” IAFF General President Edward Kelly says.

The IAFF also announces the budget 2022 allocation of funding for a secretariat to support the Minister of Emergency Preparedness and to enhance federal coordination of emergency responses.