James Moore

…Are Canada’s policies and investments in forest fire management working well to mitigate the growing risks? The honest answer is: yes and no. Investments have increased since the record 2023 season. The federal government launched over $500 million in initiatives in 2022, covering equipment, First Nations firefighting gear, training for 1,000 additional firefighters, and a wildfire-monitoring satellite system. Since then, federal spending has continued: $346.1 million over five years (2022–23 onward) for training and equipment through NRCan and Indigenous Services Canada, and $316.7 million over five years for new national aerial firefighting surge capacity, with new aircraft arriving this year. Provincial governments have also raised their spending above historical levels to keep up with the scale of the demands. But cracks are showing under the stresses of the current crisis. …When we get through this season, I hope Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet take ownership of the need to modernize our policy and governance of these issues.