The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is entering a new tenancy agreement for Seton’s firehall with Tsal’alh Seton Lake Fire Department (Tsal’alh).
By Dec. 1, 2024, the current tenants, Seton Valley Volunteer Firefighter Society, must vacate the SLRD-owned premise. Currently, they use the space to store equipment and share the space with BC Ambulance Services.
Seton's recent fire-protection history
Since 2019, Tsal’alh has provided fire protection services to Seton. They were contracted to take over the services from Seton Valley Volunteer Firefighter Society (SVVFS), which operated the Seton Valley Volunteer Firefighter Department (SVVFD). The SLRD said it ended SVVFS' contract in 2019 because they were not compliant with upgraded fire protection regulations required by the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC).
According to a release by the SLRD in September 2019, the district began reviewing fire services in the SLRD in 2013 to ensure they are compliant with provincial standards mandated under the Officer of the Fire Commission and WorkSafeBC.
According to the release, the requirements resulted in “significant impacts” for SVVFD. “Standards for training, occupational health and safety, equipment and deployment have become much more stringent over the years, which has made the operation of volunteer fire departments more difficult, demanding and expensive than in the past,” the release said.
By July 2019, SVVFD was still non-compliant, and their fire chief, along with the SLRD, ended the service until they met upgraded standards. Then, the SLRD entered into an agreement with Tsal’alh.
Loss of tenancy
In response to losing its tenancy for the fire hall this fall, on Nov. 10, SVVFS held a demonstration at the fire hall to protest. In communications with Pique, their secretary, who is a long-standing member, expressed frustrations over the loss of the fire hall and regulatory requirements perceived as inequitable.
Secretary for the SVVFS, Eugene Duruisseau, said the newer standards from the OFC and WorkSafeBC didn’t adequately consider volunteer firefighter perspectives, despite representing a large proportion of the province's fire response.
“I’m looking for a voice in the volunteer side of the sector, and it’s not there,” he said.
According to the SLRD, volunteer firefighters represent more than 70 per cent of fire services in Canada. All firefighting in the SLRD is volunteer-based. The other volunteer fire departments are also required to adhere to upgraded compliance regulations.
However, Duruisseau argued that adhering to administrative labour and maintenance for volunteer services under the provincial mandate is impossible.
“The elephant in the room is that all of the authorities are saying there's no difference between professionals and volunteers, and you have to meet those standards," he said. "But how you're supposed to do that without the resources and on a volunteer basis, it's just absurdity."
SLRD's reasoning
In a statement, the SLRD said it has engaged in community consultation with Seton residents about the change, holding a meeting Nov. 10 at Highline Pub & Restaurant.
“The service has been provided, uninterrupted, by Tsal’alh, through a series of successive short-term agreements, since September 2019," the SLRD said. "Prior to that, the service had been provided by the SVVFS.
“The Society was not able to continue as the fire protection service provider, because they were found to be non-compliant with regulatory and legislative requirements for operating a volunteer fire department and they could not deliver structure firefighting service or meet the criteria required to maintain the best Fire Service Underwriters’ (FUS) grading,” according to the SLRD.
Meeting FUS grading criteria means fire insurance costs for taxpayers are reduced by 40 to 60 per cent, according to the SLRD.
Another question posed by Duruisseau related to whether Tsal’alh is required to be publicly accountable.
Tsal’alh’s volunteer fire department reports with Tsal’alh Nation, and the SLRD said as a public sector entity, they are required to adhere to Canadian Public Sector Accounting practices.
“The SLRD has complete confidence in the reporting responsibilities of the Tsal’alh and the Tsal’alh Seton Lake Volunteer Fire Department,” the district said.
Despite the change in tenants for the fire hall, and throughout the last five years of Tsal’alh providing fire services to Seton, SVVFS members also volunteer as firefighters with Tsal’alh, and other Seton community members are welcome to join.
The SLRD thanked SVVFS for its years of service and expressed gratitude to Tsal’alh for stepping into the role.
"We consider ourselves extremely fortunate that Tsal’alh has been ready, willing and able, over the past five years, to provide this important service," the SLRD said. "Our goal is to enter into a long-term agreement with Tsal’alh as the service provider, as well as entering into a lease agreement for the SLRD-owned Seton Firehall, ensuring that it continues to be a valuable emergency response resource for the community."
