Top 6 Firefighter jobs in Canada with Salaries

If you are looking for firefighter jobs in Canada, this piece is helpful and valuable!

Firefighting is a rewarding and competitive job that aims to save lives and properties. It involves operating equipment to extinguish and control fire, rescue victims from burning buildings, and apply first aid to casualties.

Without a doubt, there are many firefighter jobs in Canada. However, as a citizen or immigrant, we will discuss the top six firefighter jobs that you can assume in Canada.

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Who is a firefighter?

A firefighter is a rescuer that is extensively trained to fight a fire. They are rescue teams whose duty is to execute fire that threatens life, properties, and the environment. Undoubtedly, their first point of agenda is to rescue people and, in some jurisdictions or cases, rescue animals from dangerous situations.

Most certainly, firefighters carry out fire prevention activities, fire fighting operations, and assist in some other emergencies. Often, they are employed by the provincial, federal, and municipal governments and large industrial establishments with internal firefighting services.

The national occupational classification code assigned to Firefighters is NOC 4312. Hence, not only Canadians can take up firefighting jobs but also immigrants.

Requirements to become a firefighter in Canada.

You’ll be required to fulfill some obligations to land any firefighter jobs in Canada. However, some of these obligations may vary from one place to another, but we’ll be giving general and minimum requirements for firefighter jobs in Canada

• You must be 18 years or older at the time of your application. However, you will need proof of age to certify your claim.
• You must be able to work legally for any employer in Canada
• Also, you must provide a valid CPR Level HCP, and first aid certificate (the document must remain valid throughout your recruitment process)
• You must have no criminal convictions for which you have not been granted a pardon
• You must possess a pleasure craft operator card. (It is easy to acquire, to pad your resume)
• A grade 12 Diploma or equivalent (OSSD in Ontario).
• Likewise, you must have a valid, unrestricted Ontario ”G” class license(or equivalent license for other provinces) and not have more than two infractions.
• A 20/30 uncorrected vision
• Physical fitness assessment that is valid (physical fitness varies from one place to the other)
• Normal and unrestricted color vision.
• Normal unaided hearing
• Ability to work on a shift rotation, including weekends, holidays, and night
• You must be able to work adequately well under high-pressure situations.

Recruitment requirements for firefighter jobs in Canada

Importantly, you must note that there are various departments with its qualification. Listed above, we discussed the general requirements to land a firefighter job in Canada, but subsequently, we will be talking about some other conditions that you might need for firefighter recruitment

• Training Program Certificate and Pre-Service Fire Fighter Education, OR
• NFPA 1001 Firefighter Levels I and II from a recognized institution, OR
• OFM curriculum components one, two, and three with examination certificate
• Also, a minimum of two (2) years of experience as a full-time firefighter in a municipal fire department
• In other cases, a minimum of five (5) years of experience as a part-time firefighter in a municipal fire department
• Indeed, you may be required to have a class “D” license with a “Z” air brake endorsement (or equivalent in other provinces) for recruitment into some departments.
• Ontario Fire Administration INC. (OF) Testing Stages one, two, and three with Swim Test
• Firefighter Services of Ontario Testing

Salaries of Firefighter jobs in Canada

Without a doubt, it is essential to know the salaries of any jobs you’ll be venturing into; that is why we have helped to collate the salaries for firefighter jobs in Canada.

However, according to the latest figures for firefighters jobs in Canada, the lowest average wages are earned in Montreal (in Quebec), with an average earning of $32 per hour, while the highest average wages are earned in Alberta at $47.27 hourly.

Typically, the average annual salary of a full-time firefighter ranges from $75,000 – $105,000. Here is the latest salary update for firefighter jobs in Canada- in different geographical locations.

• Calgary (Alberta): $21.22 to $57.27 per hour
• Edmonton (Alberta): $18.46 to $57.27 per hour
• Vancouver / Lower Mainland (British Columbia): $26.50 to $52.00 per hour
• Winnipeg (Manitoba): $33.65 to $50.00 per hour
• Fredericton / Oromocto (New Brunswick): $30.81 to $48.08 per hour
• Halifax (Nova Scotia): $19.60 to $44.41 per hour
• Toronto (Ontario): $30.59 to $55.00 per hour
• Ottawa (Ontario): $32.00 to $48.15 per hour
• Windsor / Sarnia (Ontario): $26.87 to $52.88 per hour
• Kitchener / Waterloo / Barrie (Ontario): $41.03 to $56.00 per hour
• Prince Edward Island(3): $22.55 to $52.00 per hour
• Montreal (Quebec): $22.44 to $52.00 per hour
• Saskatoon / Biggar (Saskatchewan): $32.05 to $50.37 per hour.

Top 6 Firefighter jobs in Canada with Salaries

Undoubtedly, there’s much more to firefighter jobs in Canada than just extinguishing fires in houses or buildings. Therefore, when choosing a career in firefighting, you have to consider the differences between the job types and how the responsibilities of the role match your skills.

So, in this section, we will discuss the list of firefighter jobs in Canada, their primary duties, and their salary.

• Inspector
• Airport fighter
• Firefighter/paramedic
• Wildland firefighter
• Fire investigator
• Fire Chief

#1 Inspector

Duties: Without a doubt, the primary duty of an inspector is to ensure that buildings are up to the fire safety code. However, if they discover problems such as flammable materials in dangerous places or blocked evacuation routes, they will enforce fire code to keep the occupant and building safe. Unlike all the firefighter job types, inspectors’ firefighter jobs in Canada will work directly with people to educate them on fire prevention before it even happens.

Undoubtedly, you don’t necessarily have to go through training to become a firefighter but may still come from a fire fighting background and work to inspect buildings and extinguish fires.

Average salary: $33,480 per year

#2 Airport fighter

Duties: An airport firefighter handles airplane fires in airport emergencies and runways using specific equipment such as chemical agents and firefighting foams. Definitely, they use this equipment more often than any other firefighters because of the dangers of mixing oil with water or electrical fires.

Often, the airport keeps their firefighting crews within premises to speed up response time and ensure that they safely evacuate passengers in a fire emergency. Undoubtedly, firefighter jobs in Canada at the airport require similar training to other firefighter job types, but it includes an emphasis on airplane knowledge and speed.

Average salary: $44,441 per year

#3 Firefighter/paramedic

Duties: Surely, firefighters/paramedics are medical professionals who are trained to respond to life-threatening emergencies and extinguish the fire. However, to do this job, you must be a certified EMT and meet certain qualifications, such as passing health checks and having field experience. Not only do firefighters/paramedics extinguish the fire and respond to emergencies, but they also provide medical procedures and diagnoses on the scene.

Likewise, file and create an incident report to send to hospitals after administering care.

Average salary: $57,907 per year

#4 Wildland firefighter

Duties: Unquestionably, the focus of wildland firefighters is to stop wildfires in wilderness areas that are prone to burning. They respond to emergency calls, maintain tools like chainsaws that help cut through trees, and rescue civilians.

Basically, the duties of wildland firefighters are similar to other types of firefighters, but typically they work in the summer when wildfires are most likely to occur.

Also, they are trained to contain certain fires instead of extinguishing them to make room for new plants’ growth. Hence, White wildfire fighting may be dangerous and require several nights and days spent outdoors.

Average salary: $54,000 per year

#5. Fire investigator

Duties: Most certainly, fire investigators do come in after fire accidents to know and determine what caused fire accidents. Therefore, they analyze evidence to find suspects, arson, or negligence that may have allowed the fire to grow or start in the first place.

Importantly, investigator firefighter jobs in Canada require adequate knowledge of fire science, scientific method, and police training (sometimes). A firefighter can be part of a police force instead of a fire department. However, they might be trained as firefighters to help rescue civilians and extinguish the fire before starting the investigation process.

Average salary: $60,501 per year

#6. Fire Chief

Duties: This is one of the highest positions in the fire department. Majorly, fire chiefs preside over firefighters in their special divisions or stations while they still fight fires in the field. Likewise, they manage the business side of the stations, like leading fundraisers, filing paperwork, and organizing educational events for the public.

To get firefighter jobs in Canada as a chief firefighter, you must have years of experience and get promoted to the position. In most cases, you will need education, such as getting a degree in fire science and maintaining a paramedic or EMT certification.

Average salary: $95,650 per year

Best cities to get Firefighter jobs in Canada and out of Canada

Many geographical locations all over the world are in high demand for firefighters. Therefore, we have listed the cities to get firefighter jobs in Canada and out of Canada.

# In Canada

• Toronto
• Manitoba
• Alberta

# Out of Canada

• Los Angeles
• Phoenix
• Dallas/ Fort Worth
• Seattle
• Clearwater, FL

See Also: Best 6 Work from Home Jobs in Canada in 2023

Frequently Asked Question

Is it difficult to land firefighter jobs in Canada?

Let’s say getting firefighter jobs in Canada is hyper-competitive, requiring community involvement, education, physical fitness, many hours of training, and a strong desire to help others.

Can immigrants get firefighter jobs in Canada?

Firefighters worldwide are eligible to either make another residency or Express entry and work in Canada as a firefighter, provided they have the experience, skills, and qualifications.

How long does it take to be a firefighter in Canada?

Averagely, you will undergo training for approximately seven months at the Canadian forces fire academy in Ontario.

Conclusion

Being a firefighter is a strategic and competitive occupation in Canada. There are no limits to how far you can go with your career as a firefighter. First, you need to get an education and some other certifications to help you move to the top position.