BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead councillors approved amendments to the Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS) pay schedule for the second time in two weeks, which will bring firefighters' pay up to provincial standards.
On Dec. 5, councillors approved changes to incrase BRFS firefighters' pay in line with the Alberta Wildland Urban Interface Guidelines document by a 6-0 vote. Coun. Jared Stoik was absent.
The purpose of the change was to bring Barrhead firefighters' pay up to the level of their counterparts when deployed as part of a provincial wildfire-led firefighting effort.
This year, BRFS firefighters and equipment responded to eight calls from the province to help battle wildfires or provide supplemental coverage, totalling over 70 days and 3,115 firefighter hours.
The joint town and county municipal fire services committee recommended the change to the policy, and council initially approved the recommended changes at its Nov. 21 meeting.
The fire services committee consists of two council representatives from both communities and two at-large members, one from each community.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said after having discussions with her Town of Barrhead counterpart Edward LeBlanc, who had a slightly different interpretation of the proposed amendments, the municipalities altered the policy's wording slightly.
"The intent is the same, but we wanted to ensure the policy was clear and not subject to interpretation," she said.
The newly revised policy states that BRFS members, when they are provincially acting as crew members of a team or task force, will be paid $50 an hour and if they are crew bosses, the rate increases to $55 an hour.
"This is taken directly from Wildland Urban Interface Guidelines," she said, adding to ensure the rates are always current, the councils will review the policy annually.
The rates include employee deductions, such as those required for Canadian Employment Insurance, but not those by the employer, which Oyarzun said is the municipalities.
"That was the difference in the interpretations. [The county] thought that the [employer payroll deductions were included in the hourly rate], while the town did not," she said.
Oyarzun said that the 2022 Alberta Wildland Urban Interface Guidelines state specifically that employer deductions are included in the hourly rate.
"But in [this year's document], it just states that is what they are paid," she said.
Coun. Walter Preugschas and deputy reeve Marvin Schatz said that there is a cost to the municipalities due to the wording changes in the policy.
"We talked about this at the fire services committee [on Nov. 2], and it was said that there would be no extra cost to the municipalities," Schatz interjected. "So why has it changed all of a sudden?"
Oyarzun replied that when looked upon as a package, the municipalities or their ratepayers are not on the hook for any additional costs.
She explained that when the provinces ask municipal fire departments to contribute to a provincial wildfire-fighting effort, they usually ask for firefighters and equipment.
Oyarzun estimated the cost to the municipalities for the employer portion would amount to just over $7,000 in 2023. Town of Barrhead corporate services director Jennifer Mantay quoted a similar amount at the Nov. 28 town council meeting.
"We are getting more for that equipment than our internal rate so that any employer benefits would come from that," she said.
Reeve Doug Drozd said that any additional monies they receive from the province go into reserves for the future replacement of fire equipment.
In the county's Nov. 21 agenda package, it stated that in 2023, Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS) invoiced the province for $319,112.50 for equipment and an additional $159,125 for firefighter wages based on the revised policy wage structure. Under the previous policy, BRFS firefighters volunteering for a provincial deployment would receive roughly $79,500.
Oyarzun noted that the town and county policy is patterned after similar policies by surrounding municipalities.
"But what happens next year if we just send out manpower, not equipment," Schatz said, adding in past years, on occasion, the province or other municipal fire departments have only requested additional firefighters.
Oyarzun agreed but suggested that it is different from the norm, saying that most of the time, the request is for firefighters and equipment.
Schatz said he would reluctantly support the recommendation to support the firefighters as it benefits BRFS firefighters.
"But I don't like how it was done," he said, reiterating that the policy, as presented to the fire services committee, there was to be no extra expense to the municipalities.
The schedule is included in Policy Policy 23-22-005.
Town of Barrhead councillors approved the changes at their Nov. 28 meeting.
