QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Memorial Grant Program for First Responders
April 23, 2026
Senator Moreau, Canadian representatives from the International Association of Fire Fighters were recently in Ottawa. They shared stories of Canada’s first responders — firefighters, paramedics, police officers and more — who put their safety and lives on the line every day.
In 2018, the federal government established a national line-of-duty death benefit for the families of first responders who make the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their fellow Canadians.
The Memorial Grant for First Responders provides a one-time, tax-free grant to the surviving family in recognition of their loved one’s service and sacrifice. While the cost of living has increased approximately 25% since 2018, the grant amount has remained fixed since it was established, meaning surviving families have substantially fewer resources.
Senator, will you ask the Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience to consider an immediate 25% increase to the grant to reflect the increased living costs since 2018?
Thank you for the question. Before answering your question, I think it is important to recognize the heroic work that firefighters do in our communities and our forests across the country, along with other first responders.
The government expanded its access to correctional, parole and probation officers, and it continues to be available to families of paramedics and police officers. The government is certainly concerned with the well-being of the families of first responders. I will certainly raise your recommendation with the minister.
Thank you, senator. First responders are also asking that the Memorial Grant for First Responders be adjusted for inflation moving forward so that surviving families do not see the value of this benefit erode over time.
Will you also ask the Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience to consider indexing the grant to match the consumer price index?
I will certainly bring that proposition to the minister as well. I want to reiterate that the government cares about the well-being of first responders in many ways. For example, $15 million was recently invested to help establish Canada’s first Post Traumatic Stress Injury Centre of Excellence for First Responders in Toronto to support first responders who have faced traumatic events through their service.
