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With the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst set to be decommissioned on March 31st, the President of the union that represents the workers is calling on the community to help save the facility.
Chris McConnell is the President of Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 317 that represents the 20 workers at the facility. “The local has taken the steps to ensure that everybody knows what’s at stake here,” he tells the MyMuskokaNow.com newsroom. He says that the College provides full-time stable work in a community where those opportunities aren’t plentiful. McConnell says having stable employment is “paramount” to the stability of any community.
Author of the article: Vicki Gough
Publishing date: Jan 15, 2021 • January 15, 2021 • 1 minute read •
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West Elgin fire Chief Jeff McArthur delivered some unexpected news during municipal council’s last regular virtual meeting.
The fire chief reported having just learned during a conference call the province is shutting down the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst later this year.
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“It was a bit surprising and a bit disappointing. Lots of firefighters over the last few decades have attended there,” McArthur said.
KITCHENER The Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst is shutting down as the province prepares to move to a new training model. The site has been training the province s firefighters for decades. I ve been telling people it s a dark day in Ontario fire training history with that announcement, so pretty disappointing, Perth East Fire Chief Bill Hunter said. Waterloo Fire Chief Richard Hepditch said staff will miss the culture, setting, learning and camaraderie from the training school. The school has been around since 1949, training both professional and volunteer firefighters. The Ontario Fire Marshal announced its permanent closure on Wednesday. From the nostalgia standpoint, a very tough decision, Fire Marshal Jon Pegg said. But, one when you look at the numbers and training across the province, it s a decision that had to be made.