For more than six decades, Dennis Lloyd helped shape the fire service and the labor movement in Winnipeg and across Canada.
The retired battalion chief, Winnipeg, Manitoba Local 867 President Emeritus, and IAFF Canadian Trustee Emeritus died Tuesday at 87, leaving behind a legacy that influenced generations of IAFF members and leaders.
“Brother Lloyd’s decades of service to the IAFF strengthened our union and our profession,” General President Edward Kelly said. “His commitment never wavered, and we’re all the better for it.”
Lloyd began his career with the Winnipeg Fire Department in 1959, and while he rose through the ranks of the department, it was his union service that defined much of his life’s work. He became a Trustee in 1992.
Brother Lloyd’s decades of service to the IAFF strengthened our union and our profession. His commitment never wavered, and we’re all the better for it.
general president edward kelly
“Dennis understood that unions are built by people who care deeply and show up consistently,” said Local 867 President Nick Kasper. “He dedicated his life to improving the fire service and protecting fire fighters, and he never stopped believing in the importance of standing together. His influence is still felt every day in our Local.”
Those who served alongside him remember a leader who understood not only where the union needed to go, but where it began, and why that history mattered. 13th District Vice President Fred LeBlanc remembers Lloyd not just as a leader, but as a teacher.:
“My experience with Dennis included many discussions over the years at various events where he would share the history of the IAFF in his usual, amusing way,” LeBlanc said. “I always appreciated learning that history to better understand where we needed to go as a union.
“I always felt I wasn’t just talking with him, but learning from him as well,” he added. “I loved his sense of humour, and he always had a good instinct for doing the right thing.”
I always felt I wasn’t just talking with him, but learning from him as well. I loved his sense of humour, and he always had a good instinct for doing the right thing.
13th district vice president fred leblanc
Lloyd served as Local 867 vice president from 1972 to 1976, and later as president until 1994. He helped build a foundation by advocating for fair working conditions and advancing the union’s efforts to protect its members.
That commitment extended far beyond Winnipeg.
Within the IAFF, Lloyd became known as a thoughtful, committed labor leader who never lost sight of the bigger picture to protect the health, safety, and dignity of IAFF members. His influence was felt across Canada and throughout the IAFF.
Lloyd remained a loyal and proud dues-paying Local 867 member well after retirement.
“We will ensure that his legacy of service, leadership, and solidarity lives on within the UFFW, the IAFF, and the fire fighter community at large,” said Kasper. “May he rest in peace, knowing he will never be forgotten.”
Lloyd is survived by his wife of 65 years, Doreen, their daughter Lisa, sons David and Doug and their grandchildren.
