Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter
Following numerous negotiations within the City of Gatineau, the situation of the Gatineau Fire Department remains unchanged. Recently, a mediator had to withdraw from the case because the issues were deemed too divergent between the City and the department. As a result, the provincial government must now impose the arbitration process.
“This is the mandatory step,” explained Nicolas Houle, Vice-President of the Gatineau Firefighters Association. “We must follow the process, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with it. We have always believed in negotiation.”
To achieve this, approximately three arbitration meetings with the City will be scheduled this fall. According to Houle, these are very few meetings to resolve the various issues. “We certainly won’t stand idly by,” he said. “Nothing’s going well.”
In addition, many requests have been made regarding the lack of fire engines. Most recently, the team had to travel to a fire scene in a pickup truck. There are also problems with facilities, outdated equipment, and more.
According to Houle, cases often end up in court. “For example, in 2015, when I was a fire station captain, I filed a report to have a shower repaired,” he explained. “In 2016 and 2017, I had to file two more reports and, in 2022, without a response, we were forced to file a complaint with the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). It took seven years to win our case.”
Furthermore, a complaint against the City regarding bad faith negotiations and obstruction of the union’s work has also been filed. Hearings were held last spring, but the fire department has yet to receive a response. “You have to understand that our members have expectations, too,” Houle commented. “We have families. We still haven’t received a pay raise, not to mention our collective agreement, which has been unsettled for two years.”
Houle affirms that they will not stop demanding their services until the situation improves. “It’s unacceptable and it has to change,” he said. “The City isn’t protecting us well. We’re asking to be treated fairly and we’re seeking recognition for the health risks associated with the work we do.”
Notably, to make their case heard, hundreds of firefighter emojis have been featured in recent Facebook posts by the Mayor of Gatineau.
Photo: Firefighters at the Gatineau City Council meeting (June 10, 2025) (MG) Photo: Screenshot