1. MOTION TO REQUEST A Review of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Act – Firefighters illness or disease

MOTION EN VUE DE DEMANDER UN EXAMEN DE LA LOI DE 1997 SUR LA SÉCURITÉ PROFESSIONNELLE ET L'ASSURANCE CONTRE LES ACCIDENTS DU TRAVAIL – MALADIES DES POMPIERS

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION AS AMENDED

That Council approve the following:

WHEREAS firefighters provide an invaluable service to the public and may risk their own personal safety in order to protect the lives of residents of the City of Ottawa;

AND WHEREAS studies have shown that firefighters suffer from an incidence of some cancers and other diseases that is significantly greater than the normal population, and that this may be due to firefighters’ exposure to toxic chemicals and carcinogens during the course of fighting fires;

AND WHEREAS, in response to these studies, the Provinces of Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia have amended their Workers Compensation legislation to include a presumption that, for identified types of cancer in firefighters, the disease is attributable to work as a firefighter;

AND WHEREAS the Fire Chief and the City’s Emergency and Protective Services Committee commend the Ottawa Professional Firefighters’ Association for its efforts and wish to demonstrate their support for a comprehensive review of Ontario’s Workers’ Compensation scheme as it specifically relates to firefighters;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Ottawa City Council call on the Ontario Provincial Government to review Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Act in order to ensure that firefighters and their families receive fair and timely compensation for illness or disease that is attributable to their work as firefighters; and that this motion be forwarded to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

RECOMMENDATION MODIFIÉE DU COMITÉ

Que le Conseil municipal approuve ce que suit :

ATTENDU QUE les pompiers dispensent un service d’une valeur inestimable au public et risquent éventuellement leur vie pour protéger celle des résidents de la Ville d’Ottawa;

ET ATTENDU QUE des études ont montré que l’incidence de certains types de cancer et d’autres maladies est nettement plus élevée chez les pompiers que dans la population normale, en raison probablement d’une exposition à des produits chimiques toxiques et cancérogènes pendant la lutte contre les incendies;

ET ATTENDU QUE, en réponse à ces études, les provinces du <vh>Manitoba, de l’Alberta, de la <vh>Saskatchewan et de <vh>Nouvelle‑Écosse ont modifié leur législation sur les accidents du travail dans le but d’y inclure la présomption que, pour certains types de cancer chez les pompiers, il pourrait s’agir d’une maladie professionnelle;

ET ATTENDU QUE le directeur du service des incendies et le comité des services de protection et d’urgence félicitent l’Ottawa Professional Firefighters’Association pour ses efforts et souhaitent exprimer leur soutien à un examen en profondeur de la Loi ontarienne sur les accidents de travail pour ce qui concerne précisément les pompiers;

IL EST RÉSOLU que le conseil municipal de la Ville d’Ottawa demande au gouvernement de l’Ontario de procéder à un examen de la Loi sur la sécurité professionnelle et l’assurance contre les accidents du travail et de s’assurer que les pompiers et leur famille reçoivent en temps opportun une indemnisation équitable en cas d’affection ou de maladie liées à l’exercice de leur profession; et que cette requête soit envoyée à l’Association des municipalités de l’Ontario et à la Fédération canadienne des municipalités.

Documentation

1. Emergency and Protective Services Committee Coordinator report dated 6 April 2006 (ACS2006-CCS-EPS-0001).

2. Extract of Draft Minute, 13 April 2006.

Report to/Rapport au:

Emergency and Protective Services Committee

Comité des services de protection et d’urgence

and/et

Council / Conseil

6 April 2006 / le 6 avril 2006

Submitted by/Soumis par: Councillor/Conseillère Maria McRae

Contact/personne-ressource : R.H.A. Tremblay, Coordinator / Coordonnateur

580-2424, ext. 28135, rob.tremblay@ottawa.ca

Ref N°: ACS2006-CCS-EPS-0001

SUBJECT:

MOTION TO REQUEST A Review of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Act – Firefighters illness or disease

OBJET:

MOTION EN VUE DE DEMANDER UN EXAMEN DE LA LOI DE 1997 SUR LA SÉCURITÉ PROFESSIONNELLE ET L'ASSURANCE CONTRE LES ACCIDENTS DU TRAVAIL – MALADIES DES POMPIERS

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

WHEREAS firefighters provide an invaluable service to the public and may risk their own personal safety in order to protect the lives of residents of the City of Ottawa;

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

ATTENDU QUE les pompiers dispensent un service d’une valeur inestimable au public et risquent éventuellement leur vie pour protéger celle des résidents de la Ville d’Ottawa;

BACKGROUND

Councillor Maria McRae submitted the above-noted motion on April 3, 2006 for consideration at the Emergency and Protective Services Committee meeting of April 13, 2006.

DISCUSSION

Discussion points are noted within the motion.

CONSULTATION

This item will be advertised as part of the City advertisements appearing in local newspapers the week prior to the meeting in which the item will be considered.

The Community and Protective Services Department is aware of the motion.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no direct financial implications associated with this report.

DISPOSITION

City Clerk’s Branch will forward Council’s decision to the Premier, appropriate Ministers and all area Members of Provincial Parliament.

MOTION TO REQUEST A Review of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Act – Firefighters illness or disease

MOTION EN VUE DE DEMANDER UN EXAMEN DE LA LOI DE 1997 SUR LA SÉCURITÉ PROFESSIONNELLE ET L'ASSURANCE CONTRE LES ACCIDENTS DU TRAVAIL – MALADIES DES POMPIERS

ACS2006-CCS-EPS-0001

Chair Deans indicated that the Mayor and certain members of Council attended on 12 April 2006 the funeral of Lieutenant Mark Johnston, a 43-year old firefighter who lost his life to colon cancer. She offered condolences to family members, friends and colleagues.

Councillor McRae acknowledged Joanne Levesque whose father, Captain Claude Levesque passed away last year due to exposure to chemicals in the line of duty. The Councillor spoke to the importance of this issue and the courage of firefighters.

John Sobey, Ottawa Professional Firefighters’ Association (OPFA) introduced a video, which touched on the various types of chemicals that firefighters might be exposed to and the elevated risk they face of developing and dying from certain cancers. The video also discussed prevention and the adoption of presumptive legislation.

Councillor McRae noted that 37 states and only a few Canadian provinces have presumptive legislation. She acknowledged the work of Shelly Page in the Ottawa Citizen to highlight this issue and the collaboration of the Fire Chief and the Ottawa Professional Firefighters’ Association to move this issue forward.

Councillor McRae presented a minor amendment to forward the motion to both the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to show leadership to protect firefighters and ensure families are properly compensated. Councillor Harder read a statement from Lisa McLeod, Member of Provincial Parliament for Nepean-Carleton on Mark Johnston and his death.

Barry Quinn, (OPFA) made the following points when addressing the committee and urged support for the motion put forth by Councillor McRae:

· The Association has been working with the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in an effort to improve the scope of compensation for firefighters.

· The WSIB rejected over seventy claims related to colon cancer.

· The OPFA has also identified, in addition to those already covered, the following as occupational diseases: colon, esophageal, testicular, lung, stomach, liver, and pancreatic cancer, as well as multiple and malignant melanoma.

· Studies have revealed that firefighters, compared to the general population, are 2 to 4 times more at risk of developing cancers.

· When factoring the “healthy worker effect” (firefighters are well screened before being hired and generally keep in good physical shape), the rates are even higher.

· Regardless of advancements in protective gear, firefighters absorb chemicals continually when saturated with water, steam, moisture and pure sweat. Furthermore, the concentration of chemicals in today’s materials is much higher due to the increased use of composite materials.

· Using studies, reports, and statistics generated in the province of Ontario, the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British-Columbia, Nova Scotia and soon to include Newfoundland have adopted presumptive legislation, providing firefighters with full benefits for cancers and other occupational diseases.

In response to questions from Councillors Legendre and Hunter, Mr. Quinn addressed the refusal of the WSIB to allow compensation in certain cases thus refusing to recognize its own data and science. He also clarified the compensation provided by the WSIB versus Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTDI), noting that generally LTDI provides 75% of lost income while the worker is still alive, while the WSIB provides survivor benefits after death. Mr. Quinn explained that WSIB compensation and LTDI are separate and non stackable (i.e. an employee cannot receive both at one time).

Addressing questioning pertaining to prevention, Mr. Quinn indicated that the OPFA is involved in a joint initiative with the WSIB and employers, which involves a poster program that stresses the use of the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). He noted that the City utilises the most up-to-date tools and precautions in the province, but firefighters are still at risk. Chief Rick Larabie, Fire Services agreed to return to the committee at a future date to provide information with respect to prevention practices, including pre-screening for cancers.

John Sobey, (OPFA) spoke in support of the motion and the adoption of presumptive legislation for Ontario’s firefighters. He noted that less than 24 hours have passed since the final salute to a true hero and beloved firefighter, Mark Johnston, who is one of several firefighter cancer victims that has not yet been recognised by the WSIB. He stated that the political leaders in this City are listening to the genuine concerns of emergency services providers. He reiterated that today’s firefighters are exposed to a wide variety of chemical toxins generated by super heated gases. He added that all stakeholders recognise the need to move forward quickly on this issue.

At Chair Deans’ request, Chief Larabie outlined the current WSIB claim criteria for specific cancers, as provided by a third source:

· Brain (20 years of service +)

· Leukemia (30 years of service +)

· Non-Hodgkin’s (15 years of service, case-by-case basis)

· Bladder and Reno cell (20 years service)

· Neurological (case-by-case basis)

· Lung (claimants must be non smokers, case-by-case basis)

He noted that he did not have specific criteria related to colon cancer, but suspected that claims were reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The Fire Chief also indicated that presumptive legislative would allow a subjective approach to dealing with claims.

Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services confirmed that the City of Ottawa is a Schedule 2 employer, with claims paid from a self-funded reserve.

Following discussion in support, the Committee considered the amended motion.

Moved by Councillor M. McRae

WHEREAS firefighters provide an invaluable service to the public and may risk their own personal safety in order to protect the lives of residents of the City of Ottawa;

CARRIED as amended

YEAS (8): Councillors J. Harder, R. Chiarelli, G. Hunter, J. Legendre, S. Little, M. McRae, B. Monette, D. Deans

NAYS (0):