Terrace Firefighter Hiring Debate Compares City to Kitimat's Tax Base

During the Terrace municipal election, the Terrace Professional Firefighters Local 2685 of the International Association of Fire Fighters campaigned for the city to hire more firefighters. Union members noted that the current staffing of two or three firefighters per shift does not meet internationally accepted standards of at least four per shift. Incumbent mayor Sean Bujtas and challengers Terry Fulljames and Diana Penner all supported the need for more firefighters, though Bujtas also mentioned the need for planners and engineers.

The debate raised questions about municipal resource allocation, with Mayor Bujtas comparing Terrace to Kitimat and Prince Rupert, noting that those cities employ subcontractors. The discussion centers on the costs associated with maintaining public safety standards versus the city's tax base.