Province plans to expand cancer coverage for Ontario firefighters

The Ontario government is looking to expand presumptive coverage for kidney and colorectal cancers for firefighters, whose occupation puts them at a higher risk for the diseases.

Speaking at the Hamilton Fire Department's Indoor Training Facility Friday, Premier Doug Ford told reporters that his government plans to introduce legislation next week that would make it easier and faster for firefighters to access Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits for those diseases.

The legislation would allow firefighters to access presumptive coverage in the case of primary-site kidney cancer after 10 years of service, instead of the current 20. In the case of colorectal cancer, Ford said he wanted to remove the requirement that a diagnosis must be made before the age of 61 to access presumptive coverage.

"Just as people rely on our first responders, our government wants to make sure our heroes on the front line are taken care of as well," Ford said.

Cancer is the leading cause of death among firefighters in Ontario, Greg Horton, president of the Ontario Professional Firefighters Association, told reporters Friday. He said 74 per cent of line of duty deaths are caused by cancer.

"Firefighters are routinely exposed to carcinogens, chemicals and other toxins while performing their duty," Horton said, thanking the Ford government.

Firefighters in Ontario die from cancer at a rate about four times higher than the general population, according to a Friday government release.

The World Health Organization considers the job a Group 1 carcinogen, one of only five occupations to receive the designation.

Horton said the understanding of cancer risks that firefighters face increased immensely following a fire at a Hamilton recycling plant in 1997. The Plastimet fire burned for days, and many of the 300 firefighters who responded suffered long-term health issues after being exposed to toxic chemicals for prolonged periods.

Friday's announcement was the latest acknowledgement of the health risks firefighters take on the job, Horton said.

"We will continue to advocate for better health and safety policy and procedures. We will continue to advocate for gear that is safe for us to use while performing our duties," Horton said.

There are 19 types of cancer included under WSIB presumptive coverage.

In recent years, wildland firefighters have increasingly pushed for better cancer coverage as wildfires have become more prevalent.

Since 2021, the province has expanded presumptive occupational cancer coverage to include primary site thyroid and pancreatic cancers. Coverage for firefighters has also been expanded for esophageal and primary skin cancer.