Latest news with #CarmanahWildfire
Vancouver Sun
29-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Foreign national trying to fight B.C. wildfires caught up in red tape
With wildfire season in full swing, an immigration consultant says there is a simple way to end the shortage of qualified people to fight wildfires: Let existing, trained firefighters who are non-residents stay once their work permits expire by letting them choose a path to permanent residency. Jennie McCahill is representing Irish national Jake McGavin, a team leader with a wildfire-fighting contractor called Carmanah Wildfire , which is based in Sidney but has firefighting crews spread all over B.C. 'Carmanah are putting time, energy and resources into training young guys that are here on temporary permits, that have no option to stay long-term,' McCahill said. 'This means (Carmanah) go around the washing machine and are constantly in new-recruit training mode when they could have continuity of a trained and experienced team, which help with prevention and active deployment.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Carmanah owner Nick Hill was unavailable for comment. McGavin, who turns 29 in September, is in his third season fighting wildfires in B.C. He's been lucky to have received a pair of two-year work permits, but the second is soon to run out. Team leader is a position that requires training and seniority, but it isn't a position that's considered skilled by the federal government, so McGavin has no avenue to permanent residency. He wants to stay in Canada not only because he's fallen in love with B.C. 'The main reason I want to stay in Canada is so that I can keep firefighting,' McGavin said. 'Like Nick, I've invested a lot of time and energy and money into getting myself to the level of skill and experience of firefighting that I'm currently at, and I want to take it as far as I can. 'Given that Canada has welcomed me in as a newcomer, I want to give back to the country and the province as significantly as I can. Unfortunately, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada does not recognize wildland firefighting as skilled work.' While several positions in firefighting are considered skilled — including municipal, airport, industrial and shipboard firefighters — forest firefighters are lumped into a category called silviculture and forestry . Defining what qualifies as skilled is determined by something called the National Occupational Classification System (NOC), a statistical framework of more than 500 occupations. The system categorizes those occupations into skilled or non-skilled following a set of criteria, according to the federal Employment and Social Development Department , which administers the system with Statistics Canada. 'The government recognizes the critical role that all firefighters, including forest and wildland firefighters, play in keeping Canadians safe,' a spokeswoman for the department said in an emailed reply to questions. 'Forest/wildland firefighters … are classified together with occupations associated with natural resources, including forestry workers, and with occupations that generally require a high school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training or other types of relevant experience.' The categories of firefighters that qualify as skilled are classified differently, together with occupations 'that generally require more formal education, such as the completion of a two-to-three-year post secondary education program or the completion of an apprenticeship training of two to five years,' the spokeswoman said. 'While forest/wildland firefighters share similar duties with firefighters, there are differences, particularly in the fields of study and level of education required, as well as in employment and experience requirements.' One example that illustrates these differences, she said, is the increasing number of medical-related calls — 48 per cent of all calls in 2023 — placed to urban fire departments in Canada, making emergency medical training key for municipal firefighters, but not to wildfire firefighters. McCahill has filed for something called a significant-benefit work permit with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Known as a C10, the permit is granted to foreign nationals who demonstrate their work brings 'significant social, cultural or economic benefit to Canada.' 'I am trying to find a workaround for the problem,' she said. 'This is my first test case.' Carmanah said they have guys that they have trained over the years that would love to come back. 'In a scenario where there are trained and experienced wildfire fighters within Canada, who not only already have the knowledge and familiarity with the work, but also with the company they work for and their fellow crewmates, it is not just beneficial, but absolutely imperative to use internal Canadian firefighting resources wherever and whenever possible, including the prioritization of experienced firefighters who are currently active and available within Canada,' she said. A spokesman for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the federal government is committed to supporting communities and people affected by the wildfires and assisting provinces and territories with their emergency response efforts. 'Temporary foreign workers are required to follow the conditions of their work permit, which is usually linked to a specific employer and time period,' Matthew Krupovich said. 'If people apply to extend or change the conditions of their work permit before it expires, they are legally allowed to stay in Canada while (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) processes their applications.' Foreign nationals can consult Explore immigration programs to live, work or study in Canada to determine the programs for which they may be eligible or could work toward, he said. McGavin said he doesn't want special treatment. 'But considering the sacrifices I have made with my limited time here, I would just like to have the same opportunity to make an application and be considered for permanent residency, the same way thousands of people in less dangerous occupations get to.' gordmcintyre@
Ottawa Citizen
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Foreign national trying to fight B.C. wildfires caught up in red tape
With wildfire season in full swing, an immigration consultant says there is a simple way to end the shortage of qualified people to fight wildfires: Let existing, trained firefighters who are non-residents stay once their work permits expire by letting them choose a path to permanent residency. Article content Jennie McCahill is representing Irish national Jake McGavin, a team leader with a wildfire-fighting contractor called Carmanah Wildfire, which is based in Sidney but has firefighting crews spread all over B.C. Article content Article content Article content 'Carmanah are putting time, energy and resources into training young guys that are here on temporary permits, that have no option to stay long-term,' McCahill said. 'This means (Carmanah) go around the washing machine and are constantly in new-recruit training mode when they could have continuity of a trained and experienced team, which help with prevention and active deployment.' Article content Article content Team leader is a position that requires training and seniority, but it isn't a position that's considered skilled by the federal government, so McGavin has no avenue to permanent residency. Article content Article content 'The main reason I want to stay in Canada is so that I can keep firefighting,' McGavin said. 'Like Nick, I've invested a lot of time and energy and money into getting myself to the level of skill and experience of firefighting that I'm currently at, and I want to take it as far as I can. Article content 'Given that Canada has welcomed me in as a newcomer, I want to give back to the country and the province as significantly as I can. Unfortunately, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada does not recognize wildland firefighting as skilled work.' Article content Article content While several positions in firefighting are considered skilled — including municipal, airport, industrial and shipboard firefighters — forest firefighters are lumped into a category called silviculture and forestry. Article content Defining what qualifies as skilled is determined by something called the National Occupational Classification System (NOC), a statistical framework of more than 500 occupations. The system categorizes those occupations into skilled or non-skilled following a set of criteria, according to the federal Employment and Social Development Department, which administers the system with Statistics Canada.
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AISIX Solutions Inc. and Carmanah Wildfire Announce Partnership to Help Communities Build Wildfire Resilience
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 10, 2025) - AISIX Solutions Inc., (TSXV: AISX) (FSE: QT7) ('AISIX' or 'the Company'), a wildfire risk assessment and analytics solutions provider, is pleased to announce a new collaboration with Carmanah Wildfire, a wildfire suppression, mitigation, and emergency response company. The partnership, commenced on June 4, 2025, is aimed at strengthening wildfire resilience for residential and commercial properties across Canada. In addition to this partnership, AISIX Solutions is also pleased to welcome Nick Hill, CEO of Carmanah Wildfire, to the Company's Advisory Board. As part of this appointment, AISIX Solutions has issued 500,000 common shares to Mr. Hill at a price of $0.05 per share, subject to regulatory approval. 'Our collaboration with Carmanah Wildfire will allow us to offer comprehensive, practical wildfire risk services across Canada,' said Mihalis Belantis, CEO of AISIX Solutions. 'We are also very pleased to welcome Nick Hill to our Advisory Board. His deep experience and leadership in wildfire mitigation will be an invaluable asset as AISIX continues to grow this important line of business.' 'This partnership provides an important opportunity to expand our on-the-ground wildfire mitigation work and deliver it to more communities in need,' said Nick Hill, CEO of Carmanah Wildfire and new member of the AISIX Solutions Advisory Board. 'I am honoured to join AISIX's Advisory Board and look forward to working closely with the team to help communities across Canada build wildfire resilience.' This partnership will bring together AISIX's wildfire risk assessment tools with Carmanah Wildfire's experienced field teams to help communities identify, assess, and mitigate wildfire risks. Together, the organizations will deliver practical solutions that directly support property owners, businesses, and local governments in reducing wildfire exposure. Key Elements of the Partnership: The Company also announces the anticipated settlement of an aggregate $70,919 in debt by way of a share issuance, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company intends to issue a total of 1,418,380 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share to certain of its contractors who have agreed to the terms of the settlement. The contractors are not directors or officers of the Company. For more information about AISIX Solutions Inc. and its climate risk solutions, please visit or follow the Company on X (formerly Twitter) at @AISIXSolutions or on LinkedIn at About AISIX Solutions Inc. AISIX Solutions Inc., is a climate risk and data-analytics solutions provider trusted by organizations seeking a more predictive future. Leveraging the advancements of data analytics and risk assessment, AISIX Solutions Inc. is on a mission to provide auditable, explainable, and defensible assessments to help businesses and communities protect their property, assets, and infrastructure from wildfire-related risks. By empowering organizations with wildfire risk insights, AISIX Solutions Inc. aims to foster resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change. For further information: Mihalis Belantis, Chief Executive Officer +1 (604) 620-1051 [email protected] About Carmanah Wildfire Carmanah Wildfire is a Wildfire Response and Mitigation Services company that provides expert wildfire mitigation services, offering boots-on-the-ground support for wildfire risk assessments, fuel management, and property-level resilience efforts. Carmanah's experienced wildfire personnel and risk assessors work directly with clients to implement tailored mitigation strategies - including vegetation management, structural hardening, and FireSmart principles - helping build safer, more resilient communities Forward Looking Statements Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the 'forward-looking statements') within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, and is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, information with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. The words 'may', 'could', 'should', 'would', 'suspect', 'outlook', 'believe', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'expect', 'intend', 'plan', 'target' and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information, including the Company's expected product offerings, the functionalities of the AI Climate Risk Consumer Interface and the Company's expected growth opportunities. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release. The results or events anticipated or predicted in such forward-looking information may differ materially from actual results or events. Material factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, among others, the Company's ability to engage and retain qualified key personnel, employees and affiliates, the Company's ability to obtain capital and credit on reasonable terms, the Company's ability to compete and the Company's ability protect its intellectual property rights. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also been assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time. Media Contact [email protected] Investor Relations [email protected]To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AISIX Solutions Inc. and Carmanah Wildfire Announce Partnership to Help Communities Build Wildfire Resilience
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 10, 2025) - AISIX Solutions Inc., (TSXV: AISX) (FSE: QT7) ("AISIX" or "the Company"), a wildfire risk assessment and analytics solutions provider, is pleased to announce a new collaboration with Carmanah Wildfire, a wildfire suppression, mitigation, and emergency response company. The partnership, commenced on June 4, 2025, is aimed at strengthening wildfire resilience for residential and commercial properties across Canada. In addition to this partnership, AISIX Solutions is also pleased to welcome Nick Hill, CEO of Carmanah Wildfire, to the Company's Advisory Board. As part of this appointment, AISIX Solutions has issued 500,000 common shares to Mr. Hill at a price of $0.05 per share, subject to regulatory approval. "Our collaboration with Carmanah Wildfire will allow us to offer comprehensive, practical wildfire risk services across Canada," said Mihalis Belantis, CEO of AISIX Solutions. "We are also very pleased to welcome Nick Hill to our Advisory Board. His deep experience and leadership in wildfire mitigation will be an invaluable asset as AISIX continues to grow this important line of business." "This partnership provides an important opportunity to expand our on-the-ground wildfire mitigation work and deliver it to more communities in need," said Nick Hill, CEO of Carmanah Wildfire and new member of the AISIX Solutions Advisory Board. "I am honoured to join AISIX's Advisory Board and look forward to working closely with the team to help communities across Canada build wildfire resilience." This partnership will bring together AISIX's wildfire risk assessment tools with Carmanah Wildfire's experienced field teams to help communities identify, assess, and mitigate wildfire risks. Together, the organizations will deliver practical solutions that directly support property owners, businesses, and local governments in reducing wildfire exposure. Key Elements of the Partnership: Wildfire Risk Assessments: The collaboration will offer property-level and community-level wildfire risk assessments to help prioritize areas of concern and recommend effective mitigation actions. On-Site Mitigation Support: Carmanah Wildfire will deploy experienced teams to provide boots-on-the-ground services, including site inspections, fuel management, structural hardening recommendations, and hands-on support to help property owners implement mitigation measures. Community Programs: The partnership will also support community education programs, helping raise awareness about wildfire risks and building local capacity for long-term wildfire resilience. The partnership will initially focus on wildfire-prone regions of British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, with services available to both public-sector and private-sector clients. The Company also announces the anticipated settlement of an aggregate $70,919 in debt by way of a share issuance, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company intends to issue a total of 1,418,380 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share to certain of its contractors who have agreed to the terms of the settlement. The contractors are not directors or officers of the Company. For more information about AISIX Solutions Inc. and its climate risk solutions, please visit or follow the Company on X (formerly Twitter) at @AISIXSolutions or on LinkedIn at About AISIX Solutions Inc. AISIX Solutions Inc., is a climate risk and data-analytics solutions provider trusted by organizations seeking a more predictive future. Leveraging the advancements of data analytics and risk assessment, AISIX Solutions Inc. is on a mission to provide auditable, explainable, and defensible assessments to help businesses and communities protect their property, assets, and infrastructure from wildfire-related risks. By empowering organizations with wildfire risk insights, AISIX Solutions Inc. aims to foster resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change. For further information: Mihalis Belantis, Chief Executive Officer +1 (604) 620-1051 investors@ About Carmanah Wildfire Carmanah Wildfire is a Wildfire Response and Mitigation Services company that provides expert wildfire mitigation services, offering boots-on-the-ground support for wildfire risk assessments, fuel management, and property-level resilience efforts. Carmanah's experienced wildfire personnel and risk assessors work directly with clients to implement tailored mitigation strategies - including vegetation management, structural hardening, and FireSmart principles - helping build safer, more resilient communities Forward Looking Statements Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, and is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, information with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "suspect", "outlook", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "target" and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information, including the Company's expected product offerings, the functionalities of the AI Climate Risk Consumer Interface and the Company's expected growth opportunities. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release. The results or events anticipated or predicted in such forward-looking information may differ materially from actual results or events. Material factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, among others, the Company's ability to engage and retain qualified key personnel, employees and affiliates, the Company's ability to obtain capital and credit on reasonable terms, the Company's ability to compete and the Company's ability protect its intellectual property rights. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also been assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time. Media Contact media@ Investor Relations investors@ Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
