The Province intends to move ahead with an amendment to the Firefighters Occupational Disease Regulation under the Workers Compensation Act.
The amendment will add presumptions for breast cancer, prostate cancer and multiple myeloma as occupational diseases for firefighters.
NEW: #BC to add cancer to coverage for firefighters, https://t.co/TxLbXnEYnC @bcpffa
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) March 6, 2017
A presumption means if a professional or volunteer firefighter develops one of the listed cancers after a certain period of employment, it is presumed that the cancer arose from their employment.
The firefighter is then eligible for workers' compensation benefits without having to provide evidence that the cancer is work-related.
"On the job, firefighters are exposed to very real hazards and their work saves lives and keeps our communities safe,” said Minister of Jobs, Shirley Bond. “That is why we're enabling regulatory changes to support three new cancer presumptions for them.”
“This change is a meaningful step that acknowledges the tremendous risks firefighters take any time they are called to duty."
The province first recognized certain cancers as occupational diseases for firefighters in 2005.
Cancer presumptions for firefighters are already recognized for brain, bladder, colorectal, kidney, ureter, testicular, lung, esophageal, non-hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia.
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