Mississauga Firefighters Get Funding Boost for Safety

The Government of Ontario has provided funding through the Fire Protection Grant to help MFES improve its Firefighter Cancer Prevention Program.

Today, it was revealed that the City of Mississauga will receive more than $368,000 from the Government of Ontario’s Fire Protection Grant program. Silvia Gualtieri, Parliamentary Assistant to the Solicitor General and Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga East-Cooksville, along with Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney and Mississauga Fire Chief Stephane Malo, announced this funding aimed at enhancing firefighter safety and emergency response efforts.

This is the second year in a row that Mississauga has secured funds from this program, which supports Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) in furthering its Firefighter Cancer Prevention Program. This initiative is designed to reduce exposure to harmful contaminants while improving protective gear.

The funds will be used to acquire decontamination units that eliminate carcinogenic materials from equipment and PFAS-free firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) to decrease exposure to cancer-causing substances.

The Fire Protection Grant program started in 2024 and expanded in 2025, aimed at helping local fire departments enhance cancer prevention measures as well as improve responses to incidents involving lithium-ion batteries.

Quotes

“Our first responders run toward danger when everyone else is running away from it, and their health and safety will always be a top priority for our government. This investment is about protecting the people who protect us. It strengthens cancer-prevention measures, enhances our emergency response capabilities, and helps ensure that the brave men and women of Mississauga Fire & Emergency Services return home safely to their families after every call.” – Silvia Gualtieri, MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville

“On behalf of the City of Mississauga and Members of Council, we thank the Government of Ontario for this investment that will help ensure we continue to provide our firefighters with equipment and technology that helps reduce cancer risks and enables them to respond effectively to emergencies. Our MFES firefighters deal with challenging and at times harrowing response situations; investing in their health and safety also means an investment in the health and safety of our city.” – Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney

“This grant allows us to invest in advanced decontamination systems and PFAS-free gear, which are essential tools that help us put the safety of our firefighters first and foremost. We respond to approximately 30,000 calls a year; that’s about 82 calls a day or one call every 18 minutes where our firefighters face significant hazards. The funding we receive through this grant is helping safeguard their health while ensuring they can continue providing excellence in fire services.” – Chief Stephane Malo, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services

Learn more about Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services.

From left to right: Ward 3 Councillor Chris Fonseca, Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney, Sheref Sabawy: MPP for Mississauga-Erin Mills, Mississauga Fire Chief Stephane Malo, Silvia Gualtieri: PA to the Solicitor General and MPP Misissauga East-Cooksville, Deputy Chief John Crozier and Ward 9 Councillor Martin Reid.From left to right: Ward 3 Councillor Chris Fonseca, Deputy Mayor Matt Mahoney, Silvia Gualtieri: PA to the Solicitor General and MPP Misissauga East-Cooksville, Mississauga Fire Chief Stephane Malo and Sheref Sabawy, MPP Mississauga-Erin Mills.Decontamination Unit

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City of Mississauga Media Relations
media@mississauga. ca
905-615-3200, ext. 5232
TTY: 905-896-5151

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