May 10, 2024
West Kelowna, British Columbia
Last year, Canada’s wildfire season was the most destructive on record. Communities across the country were devastated, with thousands of Canadians being forced to flee their homes and leave everything behind. But first responders answered the call. They selflessly risked their lives to save others, and thousands of volunteers across Canada stepped up to provide help to their neighbours and communities in need.
Budget 2024 is about restoring fairness for every generation. That means taking climate action, protecting our communities, supporting our brave firefighters, and ensuring future generations don’t foot the bill for the costs of inaction.
Today, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, highlighted measures included in Budget 2024 to support volunteer firefighters, bolster Canada’s wildfire preparedness, and help Indigenous communities respond to emergencies.
Here’s what we’re doing:
- Doubling the Volunteer Firefighter and Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credits, which will increase from $3,000 to $6,000 for 2024, saving volunteer firefighters up to an additional $450 per year.
Investing $800,000 more to expand firefighting capacity. This funding will help the International Association of Fire Fighters expand their training program for structural firefighters to respond to wildfires that impact urban areas. This builds on existing funding to support the federal government’s commitment to train 1,000 wildland firefighters.
Indigenous communities are often located in remote areas, where there is a higher risk of natural disasters. Budget 2024 announces investments in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to save lives and better protect communities against wildfires. We are:
- Investing over $145 million to help First Nations communities prepare for emergencies. This includes developing community-specific plans to respond to natural disasters and builds on the $260 million announced in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement to support wildfire response activities on First Nations communities.
- Providing $20.9 million for fire prevention in First Nations communities. This funding will support the First Nations Fire Protection Strategy, 2023 to 2028 by distributing fire alarms and fire extinguishers to home and community facilities on reserve, as well as assisting fire-related education programs.
- Committing $9 million to help support Indigenous governments directly affected by the 2023 wildfires in the Northwest Territories. This funding will help Indigenous partners reimburse expenses incurred when they were providing cultural supports to community members during the 2023 wildfire season.
The investments highlighted today will be critical in building a safer, more resilient Canada. We’re taking bold climate action, protecting our communities, and making sure that Canada’s volunteer firefighters get the support they deserve – and these are just some of the things included in Budget 2024. Alongside these measures, we’re growing our economy, building more homes, investing in health care, and creating good-paying jobs so that every generation can get ahead.
PMO
