Toronto Fire Services staffing crisis; 222 firefighters on WSIB leave, 15 trucks daily idled
Fire Chief Jim Jessup presented the 2025 annual report showing strong operational metrics but flagged a severe staffing emergency: WSIB claims for mental health injuries and provincial training mandates costing $5–8 million annually are forcing 222 firefighters off work and leaving 15 of 125 fire trucks out of service each day. Without provincial cost-sharing or additional municipal funding, the service cannot sustain current levels as retirements accelerate in 2027–2028.
Who did what
- Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9) movedSignaled intention to move a motion on the staffing crisis and provincial cost-sharing.
- Councillor Shelley Carroll (Ward 17) questioned staffQuestioned fire inspection percentages by ward, scope of fire code enforcement (fire risk vs. carbon monoxide), and NextGen 911 data-sharing to reduce medical call response growth.
From the floor
“As of today I pulled the numbers for July; Toronto Fire Service has 222 firefighters off on WSIB. To put that into perspective we have 125 trucks available for dispatch every single day. That represents 15 of those out of service every single day just on WSIB.”City staff
“The training and mandatory certification costs are north of 5 to 8 million now annually that we have to do by law or we cannot provide those services to the citizens.”City staff
“So without provincial support and looking at the workforce cost impact the training impact, we either need more funding from the property tax base or it puts it in a position where you can't not deliver the service because that's not really an option.”Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9)
“There's been a substantial increase in lithium battery calls. You know a lot of them are in my ward in Toronto center, in St. Jamestown, in Regent Park. Two months ago we had 15 overdoses in one park in one day.”A councillor
Also in this item
• 222 firefighters currently off on WSIB mental health claims; 15 of 125 fire trucks sit idle daily as a result. Retirements will accelerate in 2027–2028, compounding the crisis.
• Lithium-ion battery fires increased 214% in 2025 (62 fires vs. 22 in 2023); identified as the greatest growing public fire safety risk in the city.
• Provincial training mandate (Ontario Regulation 34322) requires certification for all 2,800+ firefighters, inspectors, and dispatchers, costing $5–8 million annually with no provincial funding.
• Encampment fires reduced 37% (78 fewer fires in 2025 vs. 2024) through interdivisional collaboration with shelter and housing divisions.
The journey
You can still act
On the Toronto City Council agenda for 2026-07-29
Residents can contact their councillors before the next fire budget vote or council decision on provincial cost-sharing advocacy. A motion is expected at committee or council on this item.
Decision
Item received for information; no motion passed. Chief flagged the staffing crisis as requiring urgent action from council and the province, but council deferred substantive response to a separate motion process.
Watch it happen
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