Premier Doug Ford announces cancer coverage expansion for firefighters

Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford announced Friday morning in Hamilton an expansion presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters.

Held at a fire station in Hamilton, Ford was joined by Ontario’s Minister of Labor David Piccini and MPP Donna Skelly for a new announcement regarding health coverages for fire fighters across the province.

The Ontario government says they will introduce legislation that if passed, will reduce the required duration of service from 20 to 10 years.

The province also says it will propose to remove the requirement that a firefighter’s primary-site colorectal diagnosis must be made before the age of 61.

“Our government will always be here to support our fire departments and our firefighters, just as people rely on our first responders,” the premier said. “Our government wants to make sure our heroes on the front line are taken care of as well, we’ll always have your backs.”

Changes to firefighter and inspector coverages proposed

The proposed changes will ensure firefighters, including wildland firefighters and investigators can access benefits through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) easier.

At the press release, Ford said the government will propose an expansion in the newest workers for workers bill, being planned to be introduced next week, will improve the WSIB for fire-fighters, reducing the required duration of duty for other cancers.

Ontario’s new proposal will also include:

• the expansion of presumptive occupational cancer coverage for fire fighters and investigators to include primary site thyroid and pancreatic cancers
• reduce the required duration of service for primary-site esophageal cancer from 25 to 15 years
• wildland firefighters and investigators under same presumptive coverage for occupational cancers, heart injuries and PTSD – reducing required duration of service for primary-site skin cancer from 15 to 10 years.