WINNIPEG, MB, May 16, 2024
/CNW/ - Wildfires are increasing in frequency and in severity
across Canada because of climate
change, impacting our health, economies, communities and wildlife.
As another difficult wildfire season is underway, the Governments
of Canada and Manitoba will support Canadians and Manitobans
threatened by wildfires while strengthening our ability to adapt to
a changing climate.
Today, the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, President of the King's
Privy Council for Canada, Minister
of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific
Economic Development Agency of Canada, was joined by the Honourable Dan
Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable
Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, to
make an announcement with the Honourable Jamie Moses, Manitoba Minister of Economic Development,
Investment, Trade and Natural Resources, to jointly invest
$38.4 million over four years
under the Government of Canada's Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a
Changing Climate Program – Equipment Fund (FMWCC) to support
Manitoba's efforts to purchase
wildland firefighting equipment to enhance provincial readiness and
capacity to prepare for and respond to wildland fires.
Funding announced today will help Manitoba purchase and upgrade firefighting
equipment to increase wildland fire preparedness and response
efforts, improve safety for communities and firefighters alike, and
strengthen capacities and capabilities for resource exchange across
Canada. In addition, the funding
will support the purchase of additional training equipment and
materials to improve training and increase the number of skilled
wildland firefighters and other staff.
Keeping Canadians safe and healthy is the government's top
priority. Working together with provinces, territories, Indigenous
communities and international allies, the federal government
continues to address and support the fight against wildfires
while combatting the effects of climate change while ensuring
public safety and protecting homes, livelihoods and lives.
Quotes
"After experiencing the most destructive forest fire season in
our nation's history in 2023, Canadians across the country are
witnessing another spring of intense, early wildfires. The federal
government is urgently working to respond to these fires by
providing provinces, territories and partners with the support they
need to meet the needs of Canadians where and when wildfires occur.
Today's announcement with the Government of Manitoba underscores our commitment to
continue working with provinces and territories to bolster the
procurement of life-saving equipment and personnel through
the FMWCC. Through tangible and fast-flowing funding, the
Government of Canada is helping
firefighters respond to the current wildfire season and prepare for
a future where the impact of climate change on the severity of
wildfires is increasingly obvious."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
"As we face another intense wildfire season, it's crucial that
firefighters have the equipment and training they need to respond
safely, quickly and effectively. This funding will help purchase
critical equipment, upgrade existing resources and enhance training
for firefighters, ensuring we're better equipped to protect
communities and respond to the increasing threat of wildfires."
The Honourable Harjit Sajjan
President of the
King's Privy Council for Canada
Minister of Emergency
Preparedness
Minister responsible for the Pacific
Economic Development Agency of Canada
"As we continue to see an increase in the severity of wildfires
across the Prairies and North, protecting the health and safety of
impacted communities is our government's top priority. Today's
announcement with Manitoba will
deliver necessary resources to mitigate the impacts of wildfires
across the province while strengthening partnerships with
provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to deliver
solutions that will help keep communities safe."
The Honourable Dan Vandal
Minister of Northern Affairs
"Ensuring the proper resources are available to our Wildfire
Service is critical, as we can see right now in Manitoba. This investment will strengthen our
ability to respond to these natural disasters that are increasingly
more common. Our government will always prioritize the safety of
Manitobans, and we are pleased to see this timely support from the
federal government that will bolster our ability to fight these
wildfires."
The Honourable Jamie Moses
Manitoba Minister of Economic Development,
Investment, Trade and Natural Resources
Quick Facts
- Both Canada and Manitoba are proving $19.2 million through a contribution agreement
under the FMWCC – Equipment Fund.
- The FMWCC was launched in 2022 to support provinces and
territories in strengthening fire management capacities and
capabilities across the country by facilitating the purchase of
wildland firefighting equipment, such as fire crew trucks and
personal protective equipment, to increase capacity to respond to
wildland fires.
- The Government of Canada is
working with communities and organizations affected by wildfires to
better understand the unique role the federal government plays in
serving these communities; to offer nationally recognized equipment
to support all firefighters to be better equipped to respond to
wildland fires; and to support a more sustainable approach to
training, employment and all hazards management in Indigenous
communities and beyond.
- Under NRCan's FMWCC – Equipment Fund, provinces and territories
can cost-share investments with the Government of Canada for equipment, such as vehicles, mobile
units, avionics upgrades (parts), hoses, pumps, enhanced
communications equipment, the repair of aging equipment and
training.
Related products
- Canadian Wildland Fire Information System: Monthly and Seasonal
Forecasts
- Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy
- Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate
Program
- WildFireSat: Enhancing Canada's ability to manage
wildfires
- Wildfires - Canada.ca
- Canada's National Adaptation
Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy
SOURCE Natural Resources Canada