About Us
Established in 1929
A decade after the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) was formed in 1918, the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (BCPFFA) was organized as a provincial affiliate in 1929. At that time, four affiliates were part of the BCPFFA;
Vancouver L18 (1918);
Victoria L258 (1923), L730 (1942);
New Westminster Local 256 (1923),
North Vancouver City L296 (1929)
The BC Professional Fire Fighters Association (BCPFFA) and is now comprised of 8 regions overseeing 55 locals who represent over 4,500 professional men and women fire fighters, dispatchers, prevention officers and support members in BC, including the Yukon.
What We Do
The BCPFFA is a service provider for its affiliates offering training and education in areas of provincial legislation, occupational health and safety, WorkSafe advocacy, financial assistance, bargaining, labour law, and advocacy for best practices in both public safety and fire fighter safety.
Work with the provincial government and WorkSafe BC to recognize and improve fire fighters’ health and safety for all of British Columbia’s professional fire fighters.
Assist with contract negotiation, grievance arbitrations and labour management issues.
Access to key information on wages, benefits and working conditions.
Provide online resources to address and assist with challenging issues facing affiliates and members.
Assistance in developing public and member communications.
Educate decision-makers about public safety and the importance of adequate staffing levels.
Provide financial assistance for small locals to attend educational training and conferences.
Provide locals with financial assistance for interest and grievance arbitrations.
Organize and facilitate health & safety, political, labour management and educational events & programs such as,
Annual Legislative Conference in Victoria
Biennial Convention
Biennial Fire Ops 101
Biennial BC Fire Leadership Summit
Biennial Affiliate Leadership Training Conference in Canada – the largest union leadership training conference in BC.
IAFF Fire Ground Survival
Occupational Health & Safety Best Practices
Mental Health Training and Assistance Programs
Peer Support Workshops
Worksafe Advocacy Workshops
Virtual Info-Sessions
In accordance to Constitution and Bylaw Article 2, Objects: The objects of the Provincial Associations shall be to encourage the organizing of all paid fire fighters in British Columbia, to promote and encourage Occupational Health and Safety awareness to all fire fighters within the Province, to encourage a higher plane of skill and efficiency, sick and death benefit funds, a pension system, the cultivation of fellowship among its members, and to seek such legislation as may improve the position of the fire fighter.
Major Highlights over the last century
1944 - We saw an amendment to the Fire Departments Hours of Labour Act set a maximum number of hours (48 hrs/week from 60 hrs) to be worked in a week as after the conclusion of WW 2.
1948 - The Municipal Act was amended to ensure that conciliation (arbitration) awards in relation to wages, working conditions, were binding for both Police and Fire.
1950 - Local 18 arbitrated their collective agreement that included the issue of pensions, specifically an argument for a supplemental pension related to their requirement to retire at the age of 60. The Board agreed that additional pension protection was warranted as follows and that “additional superannuation for Firemen was in the public interest, and due to earlier retirement....”
1978 - BC fire fighters in addition to raising funds for Muscular Dystrophy, established the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. The Burn Fund was founded by Coquitlam Captain Alex Blake and Dr. Charles Snelling of the Vancouver General Hospital. The Burn Fund was established to further develop research in the area of burn care and healing.
1987 - The Corporation shall contribute 2.50% on the basic regular Earnings to be an additional contribution to Municipal Superannuation and the employee will contribute 2% of his basic regular earnings.
1997 - In 1997 the Burn Fund committed $1 Million to relocate and establish a new Burn Unit at VGH named the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit.
2005 - The first reading of the Worker's Compensation Amendment Act, that recognized 7 cancers as occupational diseases for fire fighters {Brain, Bladder, Colorectal, Kidney, Ureter, Primary non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and primary leukaemia, Testicular}. Since then, the following have been added as presumptive illnesses/diseases:
2008 Lung cancer;
2011 Esophageal cancer;
2014 Heart Disease;
2017 Breast, Prostate, Myeloma;
2018 Occupational Stress Injuries;
2022 Expanded Coverage to include Cervical, Ovarian, Penile, Pancreatic and Thyroid Cancers and reductions in accumulative periods in Testicular, Colorectal, Esophageal.
View Regulation here: Fire Fighters Occupational Disease Regulation and First responders post-traumatic stress disorder presumption
2010 - The BCPFFA negotiated a transition within the Municipal Pension Plan to Group 5, an accrual rate of 2.33% is based on your best 5 years, an improvement where a full 70% pension is achievable before age 60. The BCPFFA become the plan sponsor of the Supplemental Pension Pay Allowance (SPPA) to assist with post employment Extended Health Benefits Premiums that members can access upon retirement.
2016 - The $13M Burn Fund Centre Grand Opening. The Centre houses 8 HomeAway Accommodation Suites and several offices. Since 2002, the project came to fruition with support from the City of Vancouver who provided land for Centre, and with funding from:
BC Housing & BC Ministry of Health: $4M Investment;
Jack & Darlene Poole Foundation: $2.5M Donation;
Fire Fighter Locals: $1.3M pledged and delivered;
Concert Properties: $750,000 in donated services
2017 to 2022: Added the following Illnesses to Legislative Presumptive Coverage:
2017 Breast, Prostate, Myeloma;
2018 Occupational Stress Injuries;
2022 Cervical, Ovarian, Penile, Pancreatic and Thyroid Cancers and reductions in accumulative periods in Testicular, Colorectal, Esophageal.
2022 - Improvements to Group 5 Pension: The Plan Partners (Police and Fire) supported by the Board of Trustees moved to
Move to a flat lifetime pension accrual rate of 2.12;
Highest average salary of four (4) years instead of five (5) years;
Added Pension option: A 10-year guaranteed life pension