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History

Legislative Victories

1909

Provincial Firemen's Association of Alberta meets in Red Deer

 

1919

Bill 43: An Act to Amend the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1918

  • Firemen now covered under workmen’s compensation

 

1924

Bill 27: An Act Respecting Two-Platoon System for the Employees of Permanent Fire Departments

  • Allows for 2 work shift systems, system 1- 24 hour shifts, system- 2 10/14 Hour shifts.

 

1953

Bill 80: Amend Fire Department Platoon Act

  • Bill provides for collective bargaining and also an arbitration board.

 

1970

Bill 92: An Act Respecting Labour Relations for Fire Fighters and Policeman

“There is no higher form of public service than to risk one’s life to maintain public safety. Albertans who do so are heroes and deserve our respect and support. We are honouring their noble service with improved benefits for their families.”
Jason Copping - Minister of Labour and Immigration

1983

Bill 44: Labour Statutes Amendment Act

  • Enacts Fire Fighters and Police Officers Act.
  • Fire Fighters and Police now have their own area within the Code.

 

1986

Bill 17: Highway Traffic Amendment Act 1986 “Priority of Passage Legislation”

  • Though Civil and Criminal Court Proceedings the AFFA lobbied for legislationthat allowed for emergency vehicle operations.
  • The Local involved was the 1st in Alberta to achieve indemnification language intheir collective agreement setting the path for all Alberta locals moving forward.

 

2003

Bill 102: Workers Compensation (Firefighters) Amendment Act - MLA Richard Magnus

  • This marks the 1st introduction of presumptive legislation for firefighters in Alberta.
“The Alberta Fire Fighters Association would like to applaud the Government of Alberta for implementing the Heroes Fund. While we would love to see the day when this fund is not needed, the harsh reality is that it will be needed for a long time. Every day, first responders go to work not knowing what each shift will bring, not even knowing whether or not they will come home from that shift. This fund will ease the burden on the families whose loved ones make the ultimate sacrifice protecting and caring for their communities.”
Brad Readman, president - Alberta Fire Fighters Association

2004

Bill 207: Amendment to Highway Traffic Act - MLA Richard Magnus

  • Requires motorists to reduce their speed to 60 Km/Hour when passing through an accident scene where emergency workers are present.

Bill 50: Fire Fighter Cardiac Coverage - MLA Richard Magnus

  • Professional Alberta Fire fighters are now covered by WCB for any cardiac event occurring within 24 hours of a working incident.

 

2005

Bill 50: Workers Compensation (Firefighters) Amendment Act - MLA Richard Magnus

  • WBC now covers Fire Fighters for a myocardial infarction event 24 after the attendance of an emergency response.

Regulatory Amendment: Workers Compensation (Firefighters) Amendment Act AFFA

  • Primary Site: Lung Cancer.

 

2006

Bill 026: MANDATORY TESTING AND DISCLOSURE ACT - MLA Thomas Lukaszuk

  • Provides rights to Alberta Emergency Responders to oblige any person who may have exchanged bodily fluids with emergency workers to submit a blood sample for testing.
  • First joint combined effort with the Alberta Federation of Police

 

2008

Bill 43: Emergency Health Services Act

  • Ground Ambulance will no longer be the responsibility of the municipalities and be transitioned to a single provincial health authority.

 

2010

AFFA Hosts their 1st IAFF Fire Ops

  • Attended by a large number of Alberta MLA’s including then Premier of Alberta Ed Stelmach

 

Bill 201: Workers Compensation (Firefighters) Amendment Act- MLA George Rogers

  • Primary Site: Esophageal Cancer, Testicular.

 

2011

Regulation Amendment: Employment Standards Code-Fire Fighters Hours of Work

  • Through an AFFA lobby effort we are successful in establishing fire fighters hours of work to include 10/14 and 24-hour shifts.

Regulatory Amendment: Workers Compensation (Firefighters) Amendment Act - MLA Thomas Lukaszuk

  • Primary Site: Testicular, Breast, Multiple Myeloma and Skin.

 

2012

Bill 1: Workers Compensation Act 2012 - Alberta Premier Redford

  • If a fire fighter is diagnosed with post-traumatic disorder by a physician or psychologist, the post-traumatic disorder shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proven, to be an injury that arose out of and occurred during the course of the worker’s employment in response to a traumatic event or a series of traumatic events to which the worker was exposed in carrying out the workers’ duties as a firefighter.
  • This Bill also includes Paramedics, Police Officers and Peace Officers.

 

2016

Bill 30- Review of WCB and Employment Standards

  • The AFFA provided a comprehensive brief identifying areas of the WCB and OH&S that require change.
  • This led to numerous changes to both including
    • Reducing testicular cancer latency period from 20 to 10 years
    • Adding communication operators to presumptive PTSD
    • Adding ovarian and cervical cancers to our presumptive list (1st in the world)
    • Amending presumptive cardiac coverage
    • Removing the cap on WCB payments

 

2017

Bill 17- Review of Employment Standards Code & Labour Relations Code

  • The AFFA provided a comprehensive brief identifying areas of the ESC and LRC that would require amendments.
  • Both of these documents have not been revised for over 2 decades and the following are some examples of Bill 17
    • Protect Fire Fighters Hours of work- 10/14 and 24 hour
    • Maintain Fire Fighters as an essential service
    • Maintain the current arbitration system

 

2019

Budget 2019 commits $9 million over three years to implement the Heroes Fund and first responders platform commitments, starting in April 2020.

The Heroes Fund will provide a one-time, tax-free $100,000 payment to eligible families of first responders who die as a result of performing their duties.  Government has also committed funding to improve services for first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

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