The Ontario government says it is investing almost $35 million to modernize fire response and training in northern communities.  

Solicitor General Michael Kerzner says the government will use the funds to provide northern communities with 17 new fire trucks, life-saving firefighting equipment, and two new mobile live-fire training units.

Kerzner says the trucks will improve resource deployment and service distribution across northern Ontario, which should help save lives.

He says acquiring the mobile live-fire training units will help the Ontario Fire College deliver training directly to more than 4,500 firefighters. 

The new equipment will include self-contained breathing apparatuses and thermal imaging cameras, among other material.

The government says the Northern Fire Protection Program fire departments protect more than 34,400 permanent residents in unincorporated northern Ontario communities and respond to approximately 1,000 emergency calls per year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 7, 2023.

The Canadian Press