Manitoba firefighters hope Senate bill leads to coverage for job-related cancers across Canada
In 2002 Manitoba became the first province to recognize firefighting-related cancers
It's a career Leah Kosolofski has loved for the past three decades.
A captain in the fire department at Winnipeg's International Airport, she started her career as a structural firefighter — battling fires in homes, warehouses and other buildings.
"I love my job today as I did back when I started in 1994," Kosolofski said. "I love it. It's a great career. It's very rewarding."
But that past caught up to Kosolofski in January 2020 when she joined a grim and growing list of firefighters diagnosed with occupational-related cancers.
"I was diagnosed with bladder cancer," Kosolofski said. "I went through surgery, had the tumour removed, had another little tumour form about eight months after."
A bill now before the Senate proposes a number of measures designed to reduce the incidence of job-related cancer among Canadian firefighters, while promoting equitable compensation for those who contract the disease, regardless of the province or territory in which they serve.
It's no secret that firefighting is a dangerous occupation. Smoke, fumes and substances such as asbestos, benzene and various hydrocarbons prompted the World Health Organization to list occupational exposure as a firefighter as a Group 1 carcinogen last year.
Tracking deaths in Canada
Last year alone, a staggering 95 per cent of on-duty deaths among Canadian firefighters were linked to cancer, not fire, according to the International Association of Firefighters.
"One hundred forty-five of those members died due to occupational cancer, 100 per cent attributable to the job and recognized as such," said Neil McMillan, the IAFF's director of education and research. "That's something we have to change."
But whether the cancer is deemed job-related and eligible for workers compensation depends on where you live.
In 2002, Manitoba became the first province to recognize a handful of cancers as related to firefighting. Now, the province recognizes 19 cancers as job-related. In comparison, Quebec recognizes the fewest, at just nine.
"We're experiencing the same types of exposures whether we're working in Gatineau or Montreal or if we're working in Ottawa or Toronto," McMillan said. "So unfortunately that inequity is a disservice to those that are are out there."
Kosolofski agrees.
"You can't have each province in their own little silos," she said. "This is a Canada-wide problem and a Canada-wide issue. So we need to all be on the same page."
A private member's bill sponsored by Quebec Liberal MP Sherry Romanado now being vetted in the Senate could codify the list of cancers across Canada, but she says it's more about research and education.
"At the end of the day, it'll be up to provinces and territories to determine what works for them in their jurisdictions," she said.
Romanado says the cause is personal.
"My dad was in the fire department, as was my husband, and back in the day we'd bunker gear in the car," she said. "You cannot do that anymore because we are actually putting all of these toxic chemicals in your family car."
Education and prevention
Back at work and now cancer-free, Kosolofski educates firefighters about prevention. She says record-keeping, such as the types of fires that departments respond to and potential exposures, is still lacking, especially in rural areas.
"I'm advocating now because I've went through the process, I'm very passionate about bringing awareness to it," she said. "There's a lot of firefighters in Manitoba here that don't even know there's presumptive cancer legislation."
She said documentation is important for firefighters who are diagnosed with occupational-related cancer.
"There are still barriers," she said. "I've talked to a lot of rural firefighters in the province here. They're getting denied coverage."
Kosolofski says while there's still more work to do, talking about the risks has led to progress.
"When I started in 1994, there was no talk about cancer," she said. "We didn't know then what we know now. It's a great career. Don't let that ever stop you."
She said the key is also educating first responders about frequent screening and early detection.
"Being diagnosed at stage one compared to stage four is a huge difference," she said. "So making people aware, get things checked, educate your doctors on what you do for a job."
Kosolofski says she is grateful to be back on the job, whether it's training airport staff or responding to an issue involving aircraft.
"I get to go home at the end of the day and feel like I've accomplished something," she said.
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