Canadian volunteer firefighters now have the support of the City of Parksville.
Parksville council unanimously agreed to endorse a petition raised by Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns to the Government of Canada to increase the tax credit allowance from $3,000 to $10,000 annually for volunteer firefighters.
Coun. Adam Fras brought it before council during their last meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Fras also requested city staff to submit a letter of support to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and to Johns.
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He said that after completing 200 hours annually towards volunteering as a firefighter, firefighters can claim a non-refundable $3,000 tax credit, which under existing tax rules, would equate to approximately $2.25 per volunteer hour worked.
“Increasing this tax credit would allow volunteer firefighters to keep more of their hard-earned money and likely that money would then stay in our local community. And also it would help with firefighter retention,” said Fras.
The proposed tax credit would also apply to search and rescue volunteers.