The town of Deep River and its full-time firefighters have come to terms on a new seven-year contract that paves the way for a composite fire service.
The town and the Deep River Professional Fire Fighters Association (DRPFFA) announced the deal Friday afternoon after town council held a special meeting to ratify the agreement.
The contract covers the term from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2026.
Council will approve the contract by bylaw at its regular meeting on April 20.
In a joint press release, the two sides noted that they have worked together in consultation with the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association (OPFFA) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to negotiate the new collective agreement.
“The resulting agreement provides the town of Deep River with a standalone, safe, quality and cost-effective fire service,” the statement says.
“Over the next three to six months, all parties will work in collaboration with the Ontario Fire Marshal and the provincial and international associations to fine tune the new composite fire service model for Deep River.”
The town has had a fire services agreement with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories since 2018 and CNL “will continue to provide services and support to the town of Deep River as it transitions to the new model and the establishment of a standalone fire department,” the statement says.
“Information will be shared with the community over the next couple of months to ensure that residents of Deep River fully understand the details of the upcoming changes and the focus on safety during the transition period and into the future.”
“I want to thank the staff, union members, CNL and council for their diligent and tireless work toward the long-desired goal of a sustainable fire service for Deep River,” said Deep River Mayor Sue D’Eon.
“This agreement is a great step forward for our community. The professional manner that our firefighters, CNL staff, and our town staff have demonstrated throughout this process has been impressive. Many thanks to all involved.”
“This agreement is an incredibly positive step forward for our community,” agreed Reeve Glenn Doncaster.
“From the beginning of these negotiations, it was clear that everyone was working to achieve the same desired outcome – holding public safety in the highest regard through the delivery of high-quality fire service model in a cost-effective manner.
“The level of professionalism that each party exhibited is truly commendable. Many thanks to all involved for bringing us to this pinnacle moment.”
Scott Morphy, president of the DRPFFA, said his association “is pleased to have been a part of a successful negotiation process with the town of Deep River.”
“Collectively a made-in-Deep River solution has been achieved that will provide the citizens of Deep River with a strong fire service that will continue to focus on fire prevention, public education and fire protection.
“We are looking forward to what the future has in store for our department and our community.”
The North Renfrew Times will provide ongoing coverage of this story as more details are released.
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