Halifax Firefighters’ Union asks municipality to cover cancer screening costs

The union that represents firefighters in the Halifax area is asking the city government to cover the cost of cancer screenings.

Last week, Brendan Meagher, President of the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters Association, spoke to the HRM budget committee during discussions about the Halifax fire budget.

Meagher stated that members have been denied preventative cancer screenings at private clinics through the provincial system and are now turning to the municipality for support.

He mentioned that while the province is aware of the coverage gap, he would like to see HRM step in for now, suggesting that the coverage could cost around $200,000 per year in total.

Meagher also highlighted that the rates at which firefighters experience cancer, compared to the general population, are significantly higher.

The union’s request is not part of the proposed Halifax fire budget, so a councillor will need to raise the issue during budget discussions, which will continue until early April.