PORT HARDY, B.C. – Firefighters in Port Hardy are getting paid.
Port Hardy Mayor Hank Bood said council has passed a Fire Department Remuneration policy amendment.
It means that members will receive compensation for events they attend.
“They’re still going to be mostly volunteer. However, fire departments all over the province are having trouble keeping sufficient membership and pay is certainly a part of it,” he said.
“Port Hardy council has decided to adjust the pay for attendance at practices, fires and that sort of thing so at the very minimum, the firefighters get a small stipend at the end of the year.”
Bood explained that members of the volunteer department would be paid $12.50 per event. This includes training nights (once per week), hall duty (twice per month) and responding to a call, “whenever that happens.”
“At the end of the year, each firefighter will get a stipend based on that,” he said.
Last year, a survey was put out to residents of Port Hardy. 75 per cent of responses were in favour of providing financial compensation for firefighters.
READ MORE: Survey finds support for paid on-call model for Port Hardy firefighters
Bood said the services provided by the fire department are essential to residents of the North Island community.
“It’s more than important that we have firefighters applying for those jobs,” he said.
“We know, from our experience here in Port Hardy, we had a bit of a lull as far as firefighters go, that remuneration is part of the solution.”
Bood noted that although the District of Port Hardy might not be able to afford the remuneration of “bigger towns like Campbell River”, they still want to offer something.
“We can do something, and I think that something will just be that added little perk that makes the firefighters feel valuable. That’s a good thing for everybody.”
