Ontario Greens renew call for forest fire action plan

June 5, 2024

QUEEN'S PARK — This afternoon, Ontario Greens Deputy Leader Aislinn Clancy will table a motion calling on the Ford government to implement a forest fire action plan for Ontario.

“Fire season is well underway in Ontario, with the province reporting 94 fires already in 2024,” said Clancy.

“And yet, the Ford government has repeatedly failed to put forward a credible action plan that keeps our communities safe.

“It’s time for the Minister of Natural Resources to stop stalling and start acting,” said Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner. “Our communities’ lives and livelihoods depend on it.”

Once again, Greens are calling on the Ford government to implement a forest fire action plan – designed in consultation with first responders and Indigenous communities – that includes:

• Increased funding for both emergency response and preparedness measures to boost access to PPE, training, equipment and technology to identify fire risk;
• Increased funding to hire and retain more wildland fire staff, with specific effort made to hire Indigenous wildland firefighters with traditional knowledge of wildfire management;
• Increased investments in wildfire risk reduction at all levels and the inclusion of wildland fire considerations in disaster risk reduction;
• Interventional research to examine cancer prevention and identify operating procedures to minimize occupational exposure;
• Enhanced data collection regarding the public health and economic impacts of forest fires;
• Application of a climate change lens to all land management planning;
• The creation of a dedicated climate adaptation fund to help municipalities make infrastructure climate-ready and reduce the risk of future environmental hazards; and
• A commitment to get Ontario off fossil gas and invest in cheaper, cleaner renewables and Indigenous-led climate solutions.

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