qathet Regional District’s board will consider corresponding with Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), the minister of housing and municipal affairs, and the office of the fire commissioner expressing concerns about potential costs of fire investigations and inspections.
The regional board will consider a motion that the fire investigations and inspections relative to the new Fire Safety Act be conducted at no cost to regional districts.
At the November 27 committee of the whole meeting, qRD manager of emergency services Ryan Thoms said he and chief administrative officer Al Radke had communications with office of the fire commissioner staff. He said potential costs under the new Fire Safety Act is the issue.
“Listening to the fire commissioner’s staff, it doesn’t seem like we’re all on the same page,” said Thoms. “It’s a good idea to roll this communication out and speak with other regional districts, also.”
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said the province made it clear there would be no cost to regional districts, but what seems to be happening is there now could be costs to regional districts associated with fire investigations and inspections.
“It’s really incumbent on us to say no, and if they want our participation, send us some funds and we will participate in some way if we are able, but don’t just imply costs, especially when the emphasis has been on no cost and getting buy-in from the local governments,” said Fall. “It is important for us to say the government put in the legislation and they said they would be doing it at no cost to regional districts.”
Radke said at an online meeting with the fire commissioner’s office, the fire commissioner expressed that there will always be costs, and the example he gave is that they don’t have fire trucks – they just have minor equipment – and if they need a ladder or a fire truck for investigations or inspections, they will be calling upon the regional fire services.
“He is now stating that there will always be costs,” said Radke. “Before, they were saying there would be no costs to the regional district.”
Thoms said he had been appointed by the regional board as the fire investigator and inspector for qRD, with the direction to pass any needs onto the fire commissioner with the expectation that it will be at no cost. He said in recent weeks, there have been two fire incidents, and fire service staff were sent over. So far, a bill has not been sent to the regional district, he added.
“What was a surprise was the language being used by their staff, with the expectation that we would get out on the ground and spend some hours with them, both myself and one of our fire chiefs, when we didn’t think it was necessary,” said Thoms. “As far as we could see, there was no need for us to be on site. From what we have learned so far, we can see there are costs coming. If you start tallying up staff time alone, you could be looking at some costs.”
The committee carried a motion to recommend the regional board write to the UBCM and minister of housing and municipal affairs, with a copy to the fire commissioner’s office, expressing concern that the office of the fire commissioner is not living up to commitments, that upon request from a regional district, their office would perform fire investigations and inspections relative to the new Fire Safety Act at no cost to regional districts.
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