East Gwillimbury Emergency and Community Safety Services logo Georgina Fire and Rescue services logo 

Project Update

On February 14, 2023, Mayor and Council received the final report from Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) regarding the exploration of modernized fire services for East Gwillimbury Fire and Emergency Services (FES) and Georgina Fire and Rescue Services. At this time the recommendation was not to proceed with the consolidation of the two departments. It was recommended to explore the areas for shared services opportunities including:

  • Automatic aid
  • Special teams
  • Fleet services
  • Training
  • Fire prevention and education
  • Group purchasing
  • Fire station sharing
  • Emergency management

The scope of work undertaken by ESCI also included a refresh of the Department’s Fire Master Plan (FMP). The FMP identifies current and probable community fire risks and needs over a 10 to 20-year period and assists the department with future planning related to fire and life safety programming, asset management, staffing and overall operations.

 The ESCI Report and refreshed FMP are available for review. 

To learn more about the fire services and this exciting project contact Fire and Emergency Services.

Background Information

Project History

The Town of East Gwillimbury and the Town of Georgina initiated a Joint Fire Services Assessment through the Municipal Modernization Program to investigate modernizations and efficiencies. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of efficient municipal services that are financially sustainable. Even as municipalities continue to face challenges, there are also opportunities to evolve services and stimulate new ways of doing business to better serve our growing communities.

Residents of East Gwillimbury and Georgina are provided with reliable and quality fire and emergency services. Under the leadership of the department Fire Chiefs and guidance of municipal strategic plans, both towns focus on continuous improvement in how we provide services to residents.

Both municipalities will see significant growth in the coming years, and East Gwillimbury and Georgina see opportunities for collaboration that may result in enhanced service for both municipalities. With funding received from the provincial Municipal Modernization Fund, East Gwillimbury and Georgina partnered to review fire and emergency services.

Council and Public Engagement 

February 14, 2023 Council Update 

September 7, 2022 Council Update

April 5, 2022 Council Update

Virtual Public Information Session 

The Town of East Gwillimbury hosted a joint fire services assessment Public Information Centre (PIC) on Tuesday, June 28, for members of the public to learn more about each fire service and provide input on how fire services are delivered in the community. 

A recording of the PIC is available on the Town's YouTube Channel. 

Project Overview

The Joint Fire Services Assessment project determined efficiencies and modernization
opportunities under the terms of the Office of the Fire Marshal’s Three Lines of Defence:

  1. Public Fire Safety Education
  2. Fire Safety Standards and Enforcement
  3. Emergency Response

The project included:

  • A refresh of both municipalities’ Fire Master Plans to address current growth projections
  • Analysis of the three potential service options:
    • standalone modernized fire services for both municipalities
    • shared services options
    • consolidated composite (full-time and paid on-call/volunteer) department models
  • Implementation strategies for all options

Our goal, as always, is to deliver an efficient, effective and modern fire service for our
residents and businesses.