The Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs said the Yukon government has cancelled a $900,000 equipment purchase and a training conference for volunteer firefighters in the Yukon.
The organization's stated purpose is to represent the interests of firefighters in the Yukon.
The AYFC purpose is to further the advancement of the fire service in the Yukon, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas on all questions pertaining to the safety of life and property against risks by fire, and to represent members in matters of territorial legislation related to the fire services in the Yukon. Our Member includes the following: Regardless of the Fire Departments Classification within the Yukon being from an unincorporated rural community or a municipality the following members of the various departments (Fire Chiefs, Deputy Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Platoon Fire Chief, Chief of Fire Prevention, Training Officers, and really any position that the active members feel have a direct bearing on the fire service. So in a nutshell we represent the interests of the firefighters in the Yukon Fire Service.
In a Facebook post made Dec. 29, 2024, the Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs said the territorial government had cancelled $900,000 the purchase and the January training event - news that was delivered to them shortly before Christmas.
John Smith, the vice president of the association, said the funds would be used to purchase a fire truck for highway rescues as well as some additional firefighting equipment. He spoke with the News on Dec. 31.
Smith said the firetruck was supposed to be purchased in 2024: now that it will be purchased in 2025, the funding is essentially cancelled from the 2024 budget.
“Fact of the matter is, it was cancelled for 2024,” said Smith. “Doesn't really matter how it's worded. It was cancelled. The truck that was supposed to be ordered in 2024 is not getting ordered.”
In response to these allegations, Yukon government cabinet communications shared a statement with the Yukon News. The statement said the Fire Marshal’s Office reallocated the funds for the firetruck to instead purchase new PPE and breathing equipment for firefighters.
“The new fire truck will now be purchased in Spring 2025 - not cancelled,” reads the statement.
Smith said they were also told that the fire marshal’s office did not have the funds to host an annual training event in January.
Cabinet communications however did state that the event was postponed, with hopes to reschedule it for spring 2025. Smith said the government had changed its tune.
“We were officially advised that this had to be cancelled due to a lack of funding, so they can play the game on words,” he said.
Smith said that the association was told a strategic plan would have to be put in place in order for volunteer firefighters to get more funding. Smith said that the fire marshal’s office is too underfunded and understaffed to be able to sit down and draft a strategic plan.
“So we're asking for the government support, to support the fire marshal’s office, to allow them to be able to move forward,” said Smith.
Smith said the association and individual firefighters had been trying to get a meeting with Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn since Oct. 17, but they were yet to hear a response back.
“There were multiple emails sent both from the association and from individual chiefs, and to date, we have not had a response,” he said.
He said they were promised a response from Mostyn when the association met with the community services deputy minister in November, but still have not received one as of Dec. 31.
“It would have taken the man five minutes to send an email saying ‘we are looking at things and we'll get back to you and plan and schedule a meeting,’” said Smith.
“We get told things and then it gets taken away, and we're kind of given a political answer and not the actual truth. So we just want to work with them,” said Smith, referring to YG. “We want to improve the fire service, make it safe for our firefighters, and we'll move forward.”
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
