Premier Danielle Smith's government announced enhanced support for local fire services today (Feb. 24).
The government is providing $585,000 to support municipal fire services and the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA) to strengthen public safety during emergency situations.
Additionally, the provincial government will establish a committee to strengthen ties between the provincial government, local governments and fire services and fire services to bolster public safety.
"We are committed to public safety and improving how we support our brave and dedicated fire services," the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Ric McIver, said. "We appreciate the valuable feedback we received during our fire service review and look forward to the ongoing dialogue and collaboration we’ll achieve through the Provincial Fire Liaison Committee."
To ensure firefighters have access to the best training, Alberta's government is providing a one-time increase of $500,000 for the Fire Services Training Program, bringing total funding to one million dollars, for training grants this year.
This funding is available to all municipalities, Metis Settlements and First Nations communities in Alberta. It aims to equip firefighters with the knowledge and skills they require to navigate emergency situations.
In addition to the funding available to municipalities, $85,000 will be provided to the AFCA to enhance their core competency tool, which municipalities can use to conduct risk assessments, develop appropriate fire service response plans and determine training needs.
The new grant builds upon the government's previous grant of $200,000, which was provided in 2024 to the AFCA to strengthen provincial fire reporting.
"The government support provided here today to our municipalities will play a crucial role in enhancing the skills and training of Alberta firefighters, ultimately leading to safer communities and continuously enhancing emergency response," AFCA President, Chief Randy Schroeder said.
A fire liaison committee, made up of municipal, First Nations, Métis and fire service representatives is also under development, which will further support the role of municipal fire services in strengthening public safety.
