Barrie Local Credits New Firehall to Political Action

June 9, 2009 – After numerous delays, the City of Barrie, Ontario, is finally getting funds for a new firehall and emergency operations centre, thanks to political action by Barrie, ON Local 1753.

Funding for the project was announced June 5 by local member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Brown, member of Provincial Parliament Aileen Carroll and Barrie Mayor Dave Aspden. The cost of the $14 million building will be split between the federal provincial and local governments.

Barrie Local 1753 Political Action Committee Chair Kevin White explains that when city councillors and the city’s fire chief learned the firehall project was being considered as part of a stimulus package for the city, they contacted the fire fighters to see if they could speed up the process.

“A call was placed to our extremely supportive MP Patrick Brown,” White says. “He quickly put a plan into action and within a couple of weeks our city had the funding that our department required to go ahead with the fire station project.” The new building is expected to be completed by 2011.

Local 1753 had worked with Brown in the past to raise awareness about fire fighter issues, including local issues and the IAFF federal legislative agenda. Members of the local also met with Brown at the recent 16th Canadian Legislative Conference in Ottawa.