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MPP Michael Mantha (Algoma-Manitoulin) demanded that Doug Ford put an end to a dangerous backlog that is risking the safety of northerners. Volunteer firefighters that northern communities depend on cannot currently get their licences because the government is not providing necessary drive test locations in Northern Ontario.
Mantha received a letter from the Municipality of Central Manitoulin explaining that they are facing a shortage of volunteer firefighters who have valid D licenses to drive their fire trucks.
“Their issue isn’t a lack of willing volunteers, they have people ready to take a road test by the end of the month. The issue is that they aren’t able to schedule a road test until April 2022 due to testing backlog,” said Mantha. “People in my riding can’t wait five months to have a fully staffed fire department. They need to know that when there is an emergency there will be someone ready to respond right away.”
Mantha shared part of the town’s letter with the legislature, reading: “Our volunteer firefighters are having great difficulty, when a call comes in there are not enough qualified drivers for the fire trucks. We have some qualified drivers but since it’s a volunteer force they are not always available or in the area to respond to every call. This situation can’t go on.”
Mantha said the government’s offer of one extra examiner isn’t going to make a dent in the demand facing the North.
“People’s health and welfare is at stake because Doug Ford continues to ignore rural and northern communities,” Mantha said. “Ford is failing people in rural communities and he must urgently address the growing Drive Test backlog with additional testing locations in the North.”
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