Become A Firefighter

Minimum Requirements to become a Firefighter in Ontario

In order to be eligible for consideration for employment in a fire department within the Ontario fire service, the following IS required:

  • Must be 18 years of age or older at the time of application.
  • Legally entitled to work for any employer in Canada (citizen/landed immigrants).
  • Free of any criminal convictions for which a pardon has not been granted.
  • Possess an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD –Grade 12) or academic equivalency.
  • Ability to work on rotating shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays.
  • Speak, read and write English fluently, and communicate clearly and precisely under demanding, high-pressure.
  • Have a Standard First Aid certificate and a CPR level HCP (for Health Care Providers) dated not more than 12 months prior to the closing date of application and maintained current within 12 months throughout the recruitment and selection process.

In order to be eligible for consideration for employment in a fire department within the Ontario fire service, a municipality MAY require you to have the following credentials.

Please note that each municipality in the province of Ontario is responsible for their own hiring criteria and it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they are aware of the hiring criteria when submitting an application for employment.

  • Pre-Service Fire Fighter Education & Training Program Certification, OR
  • NFPA 1001 Fire Fighter I & II certified from an accredited program from a recognized institution, accredited by the International Fire Service
  • Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) or the Pro Board, OR
  • OFM curriculum components 1,2 and 3 with examination certificate, OR
  • Minimum two years experience as a full-time firefighter in a municipal fire department, OR
  • Minimum five years experience as a part-time firefighter in a municipal fire department.
  • Possession and maintenance of a valid unrestricted Ontario Class “G” Driver’s License. Eligibility will depend on the candidate having no more that two (2) infractions (maximum of one moving and one non-moving conviction).
  • Some municipal fire services ask for an Ontario “D-Z” driver’s licence at the time of application and/or within a timeframe of the hiring date. Applicants with more than 6 demerit points are ineligible for consideration. Please note that it is the candidate’s responsibility to obtain this licence. Costs associated with obtaining the Ontario “D-Z” driver’s licence will be incurred by the candidate. If you have a “D-Z” licence, you must have fewer than three (3) CVOR demerit points and/or infractions three years prior to start date.
  • Tread water or swim test.

Experience and qualifications that serve as an asset in your application can include:

  • Completion of higher-level EMS First Aid and/or medical training.
  • A minimum of one year of prior full-time work experience, fire suppression, construction, trades, mechanical, emergency medical, large vehicle operation or fire prevention related experience.
  • Fluency in a second language or sign language.·
  • Community service involvement.
  • All applicants to a career firefighter position within the Ontario fire service are required to complete a series of tests to be considered eligible to perform safely and competently as a firefighter in Ontario. These tests may include aptitude and interpersonal skills tests, vision and hearing screening, physical (clinical) testing and some form of technical skills testing.

Details of the OFAI assessments are provided in the description of our application process.

Applicants offered a position/conditional offer of employment may be required to undergo a medical exam. Employment reference checks will be conducted, documented proof of your education may be required and applicants may be required to (at their own expense) provide a current criminal reference check, including a vulnerable sector search, proof of a valid unrestricted “D-Z” driver’s licence and a driver’s abstract. Applicants may also be required to provide documented proof of vaccinations.

If an applicant is found to have falsified credentials or have misrepresented him- or herself, their application file will be permanently closed.