At a news conference on Thursday (May 16), Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan announced $19.2 million in funding to better equip the province for wildfire seasons – the funding will be matched by the province for a total of $38.4-million.
Sajjan said the issue of wildfires across the country is something the government is taking “extremely seriously”.
Manitoba’s economic development and natural resources minister, Jamie Moses, said the current fires in the province mark an earlier-than-anticipated start to wildfire season, and that the funding from both levels of government will go to the front lines, where it’s needed most.
The money will help Manitoba purchase and upgrade firefighting equipment to increase wildland fire preparedness and response efforts, improve safety for communities and firefighters, and strengthen capacities and capabilities for resource exchange across Canada.
In addition, the funding will support the purchase of additional training equipment and materials to improve training and increase the number of skilled wildland firefighters and other staff.
