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Tax credit unveiled for volunteer firefighters in Saskatchewan

WATCH ABOVE: The head of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighters Association sees a new tax credit as a thank you, and has high hopes for another part of the provincial budget. David Baxter explains. – Mar 22, 2019

The 2019-20 Saskatchewan budget contains new, non-refundable tax credits for volunteer firefighters and medical fire responders.

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Volunteers with at least 200 hours of service in a year will be able to claim a $3,000 tax credit, starting in the 2020 tax year.

It would be a $2.1-million cost to the province if all 7,000 volunteer first responders apply. Eligible service includes responding to emergencies, being on-call, and attending meetings and training.

Finance minister Donna Harpauer said while this was an election promise, the Humboldt Broncos bus crash still serves as a reminder.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team’s bus collided with a semi-truck on April 6, 2018, en route to a playoff game in Nipawin. Sixteen people died, including players and team staff. Thirteen others were injured.

“It’s renewed our gratitude,” Harpauer said.

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“We’ve always been grateful, but sometimes we forget and that particular incident, I think has renewed our gratitude of the importance of those first responders out there.”

The budget also includes money to modernize the province’s fleet of firefighting aircraft.

Over $9.25 million is earmarked to make the first of payment of one CL215T air tanker, which costs just over $37 million. It will join the fleet for the 2022 wildfire season.

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The new aircraft will replace the province’s one remaining CL215P piston tanker.

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Saskatchewan’s current fleet includes four land-based air tankers, six water-scooping aircraft and seven smaller bird-dog planes that are used to guide tanker aircraft.

-With files from Cami Kepke

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