Mr. Speaker, as we know, volunteer firefighters account for 83% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders. I am honoured to table this petition on behalf of petitioners from Parksville, Qualicum and Coombs in my riding.
Petitioners cite that 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year. The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 volunteer hours are completed in a calendar year. This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs and small businesses. That is about $2.25 an hour. If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less. Obviously, these volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required.
They are calling on the Government of Canada to support private members' bill, Bill C-264, and increase the tax exemption from $3,000 to $10,000 for line 31220 in the tax code to help our essential volunteer firefighters and volunteer search and rescue people across Canada.