Fire Service Women Ontario (FSWO) is proud to be part of an important new chapter for women in Canada’s fire service with the establishment of the Fire Service Women National Advisory Council of Canada (FSW-NAC), supported by the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC).
The establishment of FSW-NAC was announced during the Fire Service Women and Women Chiefs and Company Officers meeting at Fire-Rescue Canada 2026 in Vancouver, where women from across the country gathered to share experiences, identify common priorities and discuss opportunities to work more closely together. CAFC has a long history of bringing women leaders together through this national meeting and its Women Fire Chiefs and Company Officers Network.
FSW-NAC brings together representatives from CAFC and established and emerging Fire Service Women organizations across Canada, including Fire Service Women Ontario (FSWO), Fire Service Women British Columbia (FSWBC), Fire Service Women Central Provinces (FSWCP), and Réseau des femmes en sécurité incendie du Québec (RFSIQ), with work underway to expand representation from the Atlantic provinces and the North.
Stronger Together
While each provincial organization will continue to serve the unique needs of women in its own region, FSW-NAC creates an opportunity to connect those efforts nationally.
The Council will provide a forum to share knowledge and resources, identify common challenges, reduce duplication, collaborate on initiatives and bring regional perspectives together around issues affecting women throughout Canada’s fire service.
CAFC has already been working collaboratively with Fire Service Women organizations across the country. In 2026, CAFC identified its continued partnerships with FSWO, FSWBC and FSW Central Provinces, while also welcoming the development of organizations representing Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the North.
For FSWO, the creation of FSW-NAC represents an exciting opportunity to take what provincial organizations have learned and accomplished and bring those experiences to a national table.
“This is a significant step forward for women in Canada’s fire service. By bringing our organizations together nationally, we can strengthen our collective voice, share knowledge and resources, and create greater opportunities for women to participate, lead and succeed.”
— Tracey Shields, President, Fire Service Women Ontario
Building on Years of Collaboration
FSW-NAC is not starting from scratch. It builds on years of collaboration between CAFC and Fire Service Women organizations.
Following the 2024 Women Chiefs and Company Officers meeting, CAFC committed to continuing its work with FSWO, FSWBC and FSW Central Provinces on issues identified by women in the fire service, including leadership development and the development of model policies and resources for departments.
FSWO representatives also continue to participate in CAFC committees and national conversations, helping ensure the experiences of women working at all levels and in all areas of the fire service are part of broader discussions affecting the sector.
The creation of FSW-NAC provides an opportunity to strengthen and formalize those connections.
Looking Ahead
The next step will be bringing representatives together to establish priorities and determine how FSW-NAC can best support both the provincial organizations and the broader Canadian fire service.
Potential areas of collaboration include leadership development, mentorship, recruitment and retention, education and training, research, policies and best practices, networking opportunities, and sharing successful initiatives between provinces.
Most importantly, the Council creates a national table where women from different regions, ranks, roles and types of fire departments can bring forward their experiences and ideas.
FSWO is grateful to the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs for recognizing the value of bringing these organizations together and for its continued support of women across Canada’s fire service.
Seventeen years after FSWO was established in Ottawa, it is exciting to see Fire Service Women organizations growing across the country and now coming together nationally.
We have accomplished a great deal within our individual organizations. FSW-NAC gives us the opportunity to see what we can accomplish together.
Educate. Encourage. Empower.