Formal recognition of 6 new cancers becomes effective in the application of the law on occupational diseases among firefighters Français
MONTREAL, April 11, 2025 /CNW/ - "After several years of battle and negotiation, the list of cancers recognized as occupational diseases in Quebec firefighters is now significantly longer. These were the words of Chris Ross, President of the Association des Pompiers de Montréal, who praised the action and sensitivity of the Minister of Labour, Jean Boulet, who has steered the reform of the Quebec Occupational Health and Safety Act (Loi modernisant le régime de santé et sécurité du travail (LMRSST)) in this area for the past few years. At the same time, Mr. Ross took the opportunity to thank the Legault government's Council of Ministers for ultimately allowing the endorsement of this recognition to be published in the Gazette officielle du Québec.
In just a few years, the number of cancers recognized as occupational diseases has gradually risen from zero to 9, and today to 15, with the addition of brain cancer, colorectal cancer, leukemia, esophageal cancer, breast cancer and testicular cancer. This new state of affairs is a victory that, not so long ago, was considered almost impossible to achieve," continues the union leader.
"Although we are still lagging behind some Canadian provinces, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and certain territories, Quebec has made giant strides in this area in the name of justice and reason for all our firefighters, who risk their lives to save those of citizens," said Mr. Ross, specifying that cancers of all kinds have become the silent killers in the firefighting community, whose profession has evolved at dizzying speed since the early 2000s, which have seen the emergence of construction technologies and techniques that are riskier than ever before, with the use of synthetic materials developing fumes and toxins that affect the health of firefighters.
The emergence of cancers with latency periods ranging from 5 to 15 years is leading to serious and fatal illnesses: 90% of firefighter deaths attributable to occupational diseases in Quebec occur, incidentally, among Montreal firefighters.
For the Association des Pompiers de Montréal, a shared vision remains the ultimate guarantee of success in this perpetual battle, and this is what the Minister of Labour, Mr. Boulet, has continually demonstrated throughout the process that has led to this new state of affairs.
SOURCE Association des pompiers de Montréal
Source: Chris Ross, President, Montreal Firefighters Association; Contact: Alexandre Dumas, 514-898-4636 (cell), [email protected]
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