The Regional District of Nanaimo, Town of Qualicum Beach, District of Lantzville and Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department have been awarded a $200,000 grant for two projects from the British Columbia’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.
The first project is the purchase of live fire training props for the joint training centre at the Qualicum Beach firehall, used by Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue, Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department and Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department.
The second project is the purchase of equipment to support a new joint training facility to be used by Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department and Lantzville Fire Rescue.
Co-ordinated and administered by the RDN on behalf of its regional partners, the provincial grant will enable each department to enhance its training capabilities greatly and allow firefighters to meet the BC Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards through local training opportunities.
The live fire training props for the joint training centre at the Qualicum Beach firehall will be fully funded by $120,000 of the grant. The new props will enable a safer and controlled live-fire training experience for firefighters, currently unavailable at this joint training centre. This project also includes funding for about three firefighters from the three project partner fire departments to attend the 2025 Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit. At the summit, they will enhance their wildland firefighting skills and knowledge, which will help build regional resilience against interface wildfires.
“The live fire training props will benefit us and our regional partners by providing regular training opportunities so firefighters can respond effectively and efficiently to a fire event in the region. This collaboration indicates the ability and commitment of our local fire rescue departments to work together collectively,” said Peter Cornell, fire chief, Qualicum Beach Fire Department.
The Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department and Lantzville Fire Rescue will collaboratively develop and construct the joint training facility at the Nanoose firehall. The two-story facility will have features like the Qualicum Beach firehall joint training centre, increasing regional training capacity and skill development opportunities.
“The training facility that will be built as a result of this joint application with Lantzville Fire Rescue will allow for further professional firefighter training that will benefit both our departments and the communities we serve,” said Leo Groenewegen, community fire chief, Nanoose Bay Volunteer Fire Department.
This project is funded with $80,000 from the CEPF grant, $30,000 in Growing Community Funds - $28,500 from Electoral Area E (Nanoose Bay) and $1,500 from Electoral Area G (Englishman River, San Pareil, French Creek, Little Qualicum, Dashwood), $30,000 from Lantzville Fire Rescue’s 2025 budget and a nearly $48,000 donation made to the Nanoose Volunteer Fire Department in 2020.
“Many communities in our province are served, at least in part, by volunteer firefighters whose vital work helps ensure peoples’ safety and wellbeing,” said Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “This funding through our ministry’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund will support the Regional District of Nanaimo’s volunteer fire departments to better respond to fires and other emergencies and keep people in the region safe. We are committed to building stronger, more resilient communities throughout British Columbia.”
For more information about the grant funding, visit ubcm.ca/cepf. For more information about fire services, visit rdn.bc.ca/fire-departments, qbfirerescue.com, lantzville.ca and dashwoodvfd.com.
