Yes, we have determined the costs. Firstly, keep in mind that such estimates are uncertain given the data we receive from Statistics Canada. I do not have any administrative data on the number of people who volunteer their time to emergency services. We use figures that were collected during Statistics Canada surveys, and there are uncertainties. There's also ambiguity with respect to the activities that would be covered in this bill, as it is currently worded.
That being said, the cost of $65 million per year is our best estimate given the data available to us, and that also factors in a certain level of uncertainty, and hypotheses. According to Statistics Canada, approximately 400,000 individuals per year act as volunteers for emergency services. However, these individuals self-identify. For us, it is difficult to know what individuals consider emergency activities.
I must mention that there was an attempt to update this figure. We have been in contact with Statistics Canada, but there is great uncertainty as to the possibility of updating the figures we have used.