B.C. to expand firefighter occupational disease coverage to wildfire fighters – kamloopsmatters
VICTORIA — Firefighters who have battled British Columbia wildfires, fire investigators and fire crews working for Indigenous groups will be eligible for greater access to job-related health compensation under legislation introduced Thursday.
Labour Minister Harry Bains tabled amendments to the Workers Compensation Act that extends occupational disease and mental-health benefits to more people who work around fires.
The proposed changes will expand cancer, heart disease and mental-health disorder presumptions to include the three other job categories, because Bains says those workers are often involved in the traumatic issues related to fires.
