East Gwillimbury firefighters get 2.8 per cent annual raise for 5 years

YorkRegion.com
Feb. 27, 2017
Simon Martin

East Gwillimbury has reached its first collective agreement with the East Gwillimbury Professional Fire Fighters Association. Council ratified the five-year agreement at a special meeting February 22.

 “We are pleased that the collective agreement is both affordable for residents and ensures our firefighters are fairly compensated,” Mayor Virginia Hackson said. “Our firefighter’s commitment to suppression and emergency response, as well as prevention and education, is integral in creating a fire safe community.”

The new agreement will see firefighters get an average annual wage increase of 2.8 per cent over the term of the five-year agreement as well as benefit improvements, similar to other comparable fire services.

The town implemented a plan to transition to a full-time fire service in 2014 with the goal of moving from six full-time firefighters in 2013 to 20 by 2018. It hired six in 2014, two in 2015, two in 2016.

During the 2017 budget deliberations, council agreed to hire one new firefighter in 2017. The estimated cost of hiring one additional firefighter was tax levy increase of $16 for the average homeowner.

Also included in the development fee portion of the budget was the provision for a full-time fire inspector.