Presumptive illnesses being recognized to support firefighters

BRITISH COLUMBIA— Legislative amendments will allow wildfire fighters, fire investigators and firefighters working for First Nations and other Indigenous organizations to gain easier access to workers’ compensation and support services.

Presumptive illnesses under the Workers Compensation Act are conditions caused by the nature of the work, rather than having to be proven to be job-related to access supports and benefits under the workers’ compensation system.

Presumptive conditions were limited in scope, covering specific cancers and heart diseases suffered by some groups of firefighters until last spring. The government expanded the presumptive conditions to include mental health disorders for police officers, paramedics, sheriffs and correctional officers, and most urban firefighters.

The proposed changes will expand cancer, heart disease and mental-health disorder presumptions to include wildfire and Indigenous firefighters, as well as fire investigators who deal with the aftermaths of traumatic fires.