Our Legislative Priorities
Welcome to the Legislative Priorities section of the Curtis Oscar Noble Legislative Conference. Here you’ll find information on the key issues IAFF Alberta is advancing on behalf of Alberta’s Fire Fighters and Paramedics. These priorities reflect our ongoing commitment to improving Fire Fighter health and safety, occupational protections, and public safety across Alberta.
Alongside each priority, you’ll find a linked briefing document providing background on the issue, why it matters, and the specific action IAFF Alberta is asking the Government of Alberta to take. These resources can help support your conversations with MLAs and government representatives throughout the conference.
We invite you to explore each priority and the supporting materials below to learn more about this year’s initiatives and how, together, we can strengthen our collective advocacy.
FIRE FIGHTER HEALTH
Occupational cancer remains one of the most significant health risks facing Fire Fighters. While Alberta has long recognized the link between firefighting and occupational cancer, current protections have not kept pace with evolving research and practices across Canada. IAFF Alberta is advocating for strengthened cancer protections through occupational cancer parity, appropriate latency periods, and enhanced cancer prevention and early detection measures to better protect Alberta’s Fire Fighters throughout their careers.
Neurodegenerative Disease
Emerging research continues to strengthen the evidence linking firefighting exposures with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS and Parkinson’s disease. Despite this growing body of evidence, these diseases are not currently recognized as presumptive occupational diseases for Alberta Fire Fighters. IAFF Alberta is advocating to expand Alberta’s presumptive occupational disease coverage to include ALS and Parkinson’s disease, ensuring these protections reflect current evidence and the occupational risks faced by Fire Fighters.
SINGLE EGRESS STRAIRWELLS
Single egress stairwell designs can place residents and Fire Fighters in the same stairwell during an emergency, creating challenges for evacuation, Fire Fighter access, and emergency operations. As Alberta considers single-egress applications in multi-family buildings, IAFF Alberta is advocating for a safer approach that maintains a protected means of egress while supporting effective emergency response. We are calling for scissor stairs to be required in single-egress applications, helping keep residents and Fire Fighters as safe as possible during an emergency.
Carrying These Priorities Forward
The priorities outlined above represent the core advocacy priorities of IAFF Alberta for 2026. Each briefing document has been prepared to support your conversations with MLAs and government representatives, helping ensure our message is clear, consistent, and well-informed.
Together, by carrying these priorities forward, we can continue to strengthen the health, safety, and long-term wellbeing of Alberta’s Fire Fighters and Paramedics and the communities they serve.