A $66 million, 10-year fire station renovation program in Mississauga that was unanimously approved later drew some criticism at a city council meeting, reports Insauga.
The program commits to repair aging infrastructure and provide interior renovations and structural additions at the stations, some of which have not been upgraded in more than 30 years. Eleven of the stations have asbestos-containing materials; all 17 require upgrades to meet accessibility requirements for female staff. When the last fire station was built in 2003 there were eight female firefighters in Mississauga. There are now 39. One station needs an addition to accommodate a second fire truck.
All work will be performed over the next decade as part of the fire and emergency services 10-year capital plan. In 2017 Council approved a separate $22.4 million fund over five years to support the replacement of aging front line fire trucks and associated equipment.