Societies and volunteer firefighters

The Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2019 (Bill 18) expanded the definition of “firefighter” and changed the definition of “worker” in the Workers Compensation Act, resulting in implications for society fire brigades that engage volunteer firefighters.

Our Policy, Regulation and Research Department is releasing a discussion paper with proposed amendments to policy in the Assessment Manual to provide guidance on how WorkSafeBC determines the employer of a volunteer firefighter, and to remove outdated language.

The discussion paper and information on how to provide feedback can be found here:

Proposed amendments to policy on societies and volunteer firefighters

You’re invited to provide feedback until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025. WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors will consider stakeholder feedback before making a decision on the proposed amendments.

Policy, Regulation and Research Department
WorkSafeBC