The city of Belleville is updating the bylaw that covers operating the fire department.
During Monday’s meeting of council, councilors discussed the new bylaw, outlining how the fire department would be structured going forward. The updated bylaw was presented to comply with the new fire master plan, replacing the previous bylaw passed in 2011.
The update includes plans to improve the department’s ability to respond to situations involving hazardous materials, after a risk assessment determined that the department could face those situations in the future. Plans for training and purchasing equipment were split into a two-phase approach, with no impact on the 2026 budget.
The new bylaw also includes plans to certify firefighters for rescue operations on ice or water, which is a situation the department already encounters. Certification for these types of rescues will be needed by law after 2028.
Under the new bylaw, the fire chief was authorized to hire volunteer firefighters, with the chief deciding how many was appropriate. Councillor Paul Carr proposed an amendment to the bylaw, setting the target number of volunteer firefighters at 45.
Councillor Carr said that council should have an idea of what the staffing level is, in order to account for budgeting considerations.
“Our recruitment numbers were way down. And I don’t think anybody around this council table knew how low our volunteer numbers were,” said councilor Carr. “It would just ensure that we know and council is aware of what we should be having as a reasonable compliment and not get surprised when all of a sudden a consultant comes in and says: Your numbers are real low, you haven’t been recruiting, and you’ve got big gaps in your service.”
The amendment passed on a recorded vote after brief discussion, with Councillors Barbara Enright-Miller, Garnet Thompson, and Mayor Neil Ellis voting against it. The motion was passed as amended.
