Support for firefighter survival training announced at CYFS headquarters

September 25, 2025 · 0 Comments

A $746,000 investment in survival training for Ontario’s firefighters was announced by the Province of Ontario at the Chief Ian Laing Headquarters of the Central York Fire Services on Wednesday by Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development David Piccini.

The investment will go to the Ontario Professional Firefighters Association (OPFFA) to “help ensure Ontario’s frontline heroes are equipped with the skills and tools they need to keep communities, and themselves, safe.

“Since its launch in 2021, Ontario has invested $1.5 billion through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream and Capital Stream to help train more than one million workers,” said the Province of Ontario in a statement. “As announced in the 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, the government is investing $1 billion more through the Skills Development Fund over the next three years, bringing the total to $2.5 billion, to support key industrial sectors and help train even more workers.”

Minister Piccini noted the Province will “always stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women who have our backs when we need it the most.”

“By investing in advanced survival training, we’re protecting our firefighting heroes by providing them with the skills they need to stay safe in the most dangerous scenarios,” he said.

The funding announcement was greeted warmly by leaders at the Provincial and Municipal levels of government, including local MPPs Dawn Gallagher Murphy (Newmarket-Aurora) and Michael Parsa (Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill).

“Our firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect families across Ontario,” said Gallagher Murphy in a statement. “By investing in advanced survival training through the Skills Development Fund, our government is equipping these brave men and women with the tools they need to stay safe while safeguarding our communities.”

Added Parsa: “Our government is proud to invest in Ontario’s firefighters through the Skills Development Fund to ensure they have access to the crucial training they need. This $746,000 investment will equip firefighters with the skills and tools to stay safe in the line of duty, while continuing to protect the communities they serve across Ontario.”

It was fitting the announcement was made at the CYFS’ Ian Laing Headquarters as the fire station on Earl Stewart Drive also serves as a training facility for firefighters from many parts of the GTA, not just the Aurora and Newmarket communities the CYFS serves.

“I want to thank the Ontario Government for investing in Aurora through the Skills Development Fund,” said Mayor Tom Mrakas. “This support helps firefighters here in Aurora and across Ontario build the advanced skills they need to stay safe and protect our communities. It’s an investment in their careers, in our community’s safety and in a stronger, more competitive Ontario.”

The Fire Ground Survival Program, added Greg Horton, President of the OPFFA, will equip firefighters with “lifesaving training they need to keep communities safe.”

“It is critical that firefighters across our Province have continued access to the tools, training and equipment necessary to protect our communities,” he said.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter