How much do firefighters make in Canada?

Canadian firefighters earn $60,000–$115,000+ per year depending on province, rank, and experience. A first-class firefighter (4+ years) at a major city department earns $90,000–$105,000 base salary. With overtime, many earn $110,000–$140,000+. Fire captains earn $110,000–$130,000, and fire chiefs earn $150,000–$250,000+.

How much do paramedics make in Canada?

Primary care paramedics (PCP) earn $50,000–$80,000, while advanced care paramedics (ACP) earn $70,000–$100,000+. Flight paramedics and critical care paramedics can earn $85,000–$120,000. Ontario and Alberta generally pay the highest wages for paramedics.

Do firefighters get a pension in Canada?

Yes. Most municipal firefighters receive defined-benefit pensions through OMERS (Ontario), municipal pension plans, or similar public-sector plans. A typical pension provides 60–70% of best 5-year average salary after 25–30 years of service. A firefighter retiring at 55 with $100,000 salary could receive $60,000–$70,000/year indexed pension for life.

How Much Do Firefighters and Paramedics Make in Canada in 2026?

Firefighting and paramedicine are among the best-compensated public safety careers in Canada, though there is a significant pay gap between the two. Municipal firefighters at major-city departments earn $95,000-$115,000 as first-class constables, with overtime frequently pushing total pay above $130,000. Paramedics, despite performing equally critical work, earn 20-40% less — a disparity that has fuelled ongoing pay-equity debates in several provinces. Both professions offer exceptional job security, defined benefit pensions, and early retirement options that make their total compensation considerably better than the base salary alone.

Verified Against Statistics Canada Data

The figures below come directly from Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census (employment income reported for 2020), the most detailed occupation-level income data StatCan publishes. Because the Census figures are from 2020, they are shown alongside an inflation-adjusted equivalent so the numbers reflect today’s purchasing power. These are base employment income figures and do not include overtime, which both professions rely on heavily to boost take-home pay.

Occupation	Median (2020 Census)	Median (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)	Average (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)
Firefighters	$113,000	$140,200	$137,600
Paramedical occupations	$90,000	$111,600	$110,000

Firefighter Income by Province (StatCan Verified)

Province	Median (2020 Census)	Median (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)	Average (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)
Canada	$113,000	$140,200	$137,600
Newfoundland and Labrador	$104,000	$129,000	$132,700
PEI	Too few workers to report*	Too few workers to report*	Too few workers to report*
Nova Scotia	$104,000	$129,000	$126,800
New Brunswick	$99,000	$122,800	$118,100
Quebec	$97,000	$120,300	$118,500
Ontario	$118,000	$146,400	$144,900
Manitoba	$115,000	$142,700	$137,900
Saskatchewan	$117,000	$145,100	$138,200
Alberta	$119,000	$147,600	$149,500
British Columbia	$110,000	$136,500	$135,600

Paramedical Occupations Income by Province (StatCan Verified)

Province	Median (2020 Census)	Median (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)	Average (Today, Inflation-Adjusted)
Canada	$90,000	$111,600	$110,000
Newfoundland and Labrador	$63,200	$78,400	$84,400
PEI	$66,000	$81,900	$84,400
Nova Scotia	$78,000	$96,800	$99,200
New Brunswick	$71,000	$88,100	$92,800
Quebec	$74,000	$91,800	$90,800
Ontario	$101,000	$125,300	$121,700
Manitoba	$95,000	$117,800	$115,400
Saskatchewan	$90,000	$111,600	$111,100
Alberta	$94,000	$116,600	$119,300
British Columbia	$84,000	$104,200	$101,500

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population, Table 98-10-0586-01. Figures are for those who worked full year, full time in 2020, and are inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars using the Consumer Price Index. *Some province/occupation combinations show “too few workers to report” because StatCan suppresses Census income cells with too few respondents to protect individual privacy — the data isn’t missing, it’s withheld for confidentiality.

Firefighter Salary by Rank

Rank	Years of Service	Base Salary	With Overtime
Probationary firefighter	0–1	$55,000–$75,000	$60,000–$85,000
2nd class firefighter	1–2	$70,000–$85,000	$80,000–$100,000
1st class firefighter	3–4+	$85,000–$105,000	$100,000–$130,000
Senior firefighter	8+	$90,000–$110,000	$105,000–$140,000
Fire captain	10+	$105,000–$130,000	$120,000–$150,000
Platoon chief	12+	$120,000–$145,000	$135,000–$165,000
District chief	15+	$130,000–$160,000	$145,000–$180,000
Deputy fire chief	18+	$145,000–$190,000	N/A (management)
Fire chief	20+	$160,000–$260,000	N/A (management)

Firefighter Salary by City

City/Region	1st Class FF	Captain	With Overtime (FF)	Hiring Competition
Toronto	$100,000–$107,000	$125,000–$135,000	$120,000–$145,000	Very competitive
Vancouver	$95,000–$103,000	$118,000–$128,000	$110,000–$140,000	Very competitive
Calgary	$95,000–$105,000	$120,000–$132,000	$115,000–$145,000	Competitive
Edmonton	$93,000–$103,000	$118,000–$128,000	$110,000–$140,000	Competitive
Ottawa	$92,000–$100,000	$115,000–$125,000	$105,000–$135,000	Competitive
Montreal	$75,000–$88,000	$95,000–$110,000	$90,000–$120,000	Competitive
Winnipeg	$85,000–$95,000	$105,000–$118,000	$100,000–$125,000	Moderate
Halifax	$78,000–$88,000	$98,000–$110,000	$90,000–$115,000	Moderate
Saskatoon	$82,000–$92,000	$102,000–$115,000	$95,000–$120,000	Moderate

Paramedic Salary by Level

Paramedic compensation in Canada is structured by certification level. Primary Care Paramedics (PCP) earn $50,000-$80,000, while Advanced Care Paramedics (ACP) earn $70,000-$100,000+ and can perform more complex medical procedures. The ACP upgrade requires an additional 1-2 years of training and a significant investment, but it opens doors to critical care, flight paramedic, and supervisory roles. The highest-paid paramedics in Canada are flight medics and critical care paramedics working in remote or air-ambulance settings, earning $85,000-$140,000.

Paramedic Level	Certification	Base Salary	With Overtime	Training Required
Emergency medical responder (EMR)	Basic	$35,000–$50,000	$40,000–$55,000	80–120 hours
Primary care paramedic (PCP)	Standard	$50,000–$80,000	$60,000–$95,000	1–2 year diploma
Advanced care paramedic (ACP)	Advanced	$70,000–$100,000	$80,000–$120,000	1–2 years beyond PCP
Critical care paramedic (CCP)	Specialist	$80,000–$110,000	$90,000–$130,000	Additional certification
Flight paramedic	Specialist	$85,000–$120,000	$95,000–$140,000	ACP + flight training
Paramedic supervisor	Management	$90,000–$120,000	$100,000–$135,000	10+ years experience
EMS chief/director	Management	$120,000–$180,000	N/A	15+ years

Paramedic Salary by Province

Province	PCP Salary	ACP Salary	EMS Model	Notes
Ontario	$55,000–$82,000	$75,000–$105,000	Municipal	Highest volume, OMERS pension
Alberta	$55,000–$80,000	$72,000–$100,000	AHS (provincial)	Centralized system
British Columbia	$50,000–$78,000	$68,000–$95,000	BCEHS (provincial)	Provincial employer
Manitoba	$48,000–$72,000	$65,000–$90,000	Mixed	Shared Health
Saskatchewan	$48,000–$70,000	$65,000–$88,000	Mixed	Provincial + municipal
Nova Scotia	$45,000–$70,000	$62,000–$85,000	EHS (provincial)	Provincial employer
Quebec	$45,000–$68,000	$60,000–$82,000	Private operators	Urgences-santé (Montreal)
New Brunswick	$42,000–$65,000	$58,000–$80,000	Mixed	Ambulance NB

Benefits and Pension Comparison

The pension is where these careers truly shine financially. A firefighter who works for 25-30 years receives 60-70% of their best salary as a pension for life, often starting at age 55 or earlier. For a first-class firefighter earning $110,000, that could mean $66,000-$77,000/year in indexed retirement income — equivalent to having roughly $1.7-$2.0 million saved in an RRSP. Paramedic pensions vary more by province and employer, but those in OMERS-covered roles (Ontario) receive similarly valuable benefits.

Benefit	Firefighter	Paramedic
Pension type	Defined benefit (DB)	Varies (DB or DC)
Pension value (after 25 yr)	60–70% of salary	40–70% of salary
Retirement age	50–60 (many retire at 55)	55–65
Health benefits (active)	Comprehensive	Comprehensive
Health benefits (retired)	Often continues	Varies
Vacation	3–6 weeks	2–5 weeks
Shift schedule	24-on/48-off or 10/14	12-hour shifts typical
Overtime	Significant (often $15K–$30K/yr)	Moderate ($5K–$20K/yr)
Annual sunshine list (ON, $100K+)	Many qualify	ACP level may qualify

How to Become a Firefighter in Canada

Requirement	Details	Cost/Time
Minimum education	High school diploma (post-secondary preferred)	—
Pre-service firefighter program	College diploma (recommended)	1 year, $8,000–$15,000
NFPA 1001 Level I & II	Firefighter certification	Included in program or $3,000–$5,000
DZ license (Ontario) / Class 3	Drive fire apparatus	$2,000–$5,000
First aid/CPR (Level C)	Basic medical certification	$100–$200
Physical fitness test (CPAT)	Candidate Physical Ability Test	$150–$300
Swim test	Pass basic swim standard	—
Background/medical clearance	Clean record, medical exam	—
Total investment	—	$10,000–$25,000, 1–2 years
Hiring timeline	—	6 months–3 years from application

How to Become a Paramedic in Canada

Step	Duration	Cost
PCP diploma program	1–2 years	$5,000–$15,000
Provincial certification exam (AEMCA in ON)	2–4 months	$500–$1,000
Base hospital orientation	1–3 months	Employer-provided
ACP program (optional upgrade)	1–2 years	$10,000–$25,000
Total for PCP	1.5–2.5 years	$6,000–$16,000
Total for ACP	3–5 years	$16,000–$41,000

Similar-Paying Professions

At a StatCan-verified median of $140,200/year (inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars), firefighters earn about the same as several other professions covered on this site:

Pilots — $141,400/year
Police Officers — $137,700/year
IT Managers — $145,100/year

Based on the same Statistics Canada 2021 Census occupation income data (Table 98-10-0586-01) used throughout this page, inflation-adjusted to today’s dollars.