Home / Health / B.C. Firefighters Get Expanded Cancer Coverage
B.C. Firefighters Get Expanded Cancer Coverage
4 Mar
Summary
- Eight new cancers are now covered for B.C. firefighters.
- B.C. now has the most comprehensive coverage in Canada.
- Firefighters represent 0.5% of B.C. workforce but 35% of cancer claims.
The B.C. government has enhanced its workers' compensation coverage for firefighters by including eight additional cancers as presumed to be linked to their profession. This expansion positions British Columbia as the Canadian province with the most extensive coverage for firefighters.
The newly recognized cancers include skin cancer, mesothelioma, soft-tissue sarcoma, and pharynx cancers. This brings the total number of covered cancers for B.C. firefighters to 26. The B.C. General Employees' Union welcomed the decision, calling it a significant step forward for over 15,000 firefighters.
Union president Paul Finch highlighted the growing intensity of wildfire seasons, noting that the province's protections need to match the evolving realities of the job. Firefighters in B.C. account for a disproportionate 35% of WorkSafeBC's accepted cancer claims, despite being only 0.5% of the workforce.
