Saanich to consider amalgamating fire department with Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay
Saanich council will be discussing a report Monday prepared by Saanich Fire Chief Michael Kaye on the merits of amalgamating the fire departments of Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and Saanich.
“It could be a baby step forward,” said Saanich Coun. Colin Plant.
Plant says new national changes to health and safety requirements for firefighters mean highrise fires need to be fought by more first responders.
“Right now, none of the four fire departments are able to – on their own – meet national standards for highrise fires,” said Plant. “When we have a fire like that, we do rely on mutual aid and our fire departments do support each other but those mutual-aid agreements need to be negotiated from time to time. I would hate to see a time where we couldn't have a mutual-aid agreement signed.”
Plant says one amalgamated department would solve that problem. He also points to other benefits that could come with one integrated fire department.
“There's the benefits of training together so that all of the fire department members in the region would be able to address the same types of fires,” said Plant.
Plant also points to potential cost savings.
“We all know that when you have a bigger purchasing body, you get a better deal on your purchases than if you have four separate entities buying the same amount of materials,” said Plant.
“I think this is a reasonable question to be asking,” said Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch.
Murdoch says it isn’t a surprise to see this come forward as it was part of Saanich’s strategic plan. He says he can’t speak for Oak Bay council as it hasn’t gotten that far through the process yet but believes the idea does have merit.
“I think on basic principles we have an obligation to maximize public safety and to look at all our services as to what is the most cost-effective way to deliver those services,” said Murdoch.
If Saanich council decides to pursue the amalgamation of the four core municipal fire departments on Monday night, it will then invite the other three municipalities to the table for further discussions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE AT 2:30 2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Protesters gather at Ottawa City Hall after Israeli flag raised to mark country's national day
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
8 dead, at least 40 injured as farmworkers' bus overturns in central Florida
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.