Mr. Speaker, insofar as Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, INAC, is concerned, the response is as follows. With regard to (a), INAC also works in partnership with the Aboriginal Firefighters Association of Canada, AFAC, to provide on-line safety tips and limited materials. INAC also has a yearly contribution agreement to support this partnership, which is negotiated based on planned deliverables. Such deliverables include a number of fire prevention awareness and training initiatives, such as the #BeFireSafe education campaign found in the links provided below.
INAC provides fire safety information on the departmental website under the fire education and prevention web page at www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1317842518699/1317842725065UU.
It is also on the AFAC website at www.afac-acpi.ca/.
With regard to (b) and (c), at the beginning of each fiscal year, INAC provides core capital funding to each first nation community on an annual basis through the capital facilities and maintenance program. First nations prioritize spending to meet their requirements for community services, including fire protection, firefighter training, and activities for fire safety education.
With regard to funding provided directly to first nations for firefighter training, from 2005-06 to 2015-16, INAC allocated a total of $49,461,237 for firefighter training, which is managed by first nations and tribal councils or technical organizations with first nations. The breakdown of annual allocations is provided in Annex A.
For funding provided by INAC in support of educating first nations communities on fire safety, INAC has worked through its key partner, the AFAC, where a significant portion of AFAC’s annual contribution agreement supports the delivery of fire safety education to first nations. Please note that this effort is in conjunction with other annual deliverables, such as training, research projects, and more. From 2007-08 to 2015-16, INAC has provided a total of $1,918,453 to the AFAC. The breakdown of annual expenditures is provided in Annex B.
With regard to (d), first nation band councils manage fire protection services on reserves and prioritize their spending to meet the needs of their communities, including fire protection services and preparedness. INAC recommends a number of tools that would support community fire protection preparedness. They are outlined in the Level of Service Standards for Fire Protection, which came into effect April 1, 2016. Fire service assessments and community risk assessments, as well as maintenance management plans, are recommended. These assessments, contracted by the first nations, are completed by qualified third-party technical organizations or firms. Assessments are used by the bands in their planning activities.
INAC’s policy for providing funding for fire protection services is presented in the Level of Service Standards --Fire Protection Services--Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program, found at www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100010632/1100100010634.