Toronto councillor, firefighters' association campaigning to open Ontario's first burn survivor centre

The Toronto Professional Firefighters' Association and a city councillor are pushing to open a new support centre for burn survivors at the city's old Forrest Hill Fire Station, which they say would be the first of its kind in Ontario.

The planned Burn Survivor Family Support Centre would be the first burn care centre in the province, according a news release from Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents Toronto-St. Paul's. The building would include eight suites for families and burn survivors who regularly need to visit Toronto's hospitals for their treatment plan.

"Unfortunately, far too many people do suffer burns and they need the care that they deserve, along with a place to stay when they need that care," Matlow said at a news conference on Monday.

Located on Eglinton Avenue W., it's perfectly situated near public transport and SickKids and Sunnybrook hospitals, Toronto Professional Firefighters' Association (TPFA) president Mike Smith said.

"The biggest part of it is that the families will be able to experience what they're going through with other families in the same situation," Smith said at Monday's news conference.

The centre would also have its own psychologists and sociologists available to help, which would be paid for by the TPFA's charitable foundation, Smith said.

Families would be required to pay a "small nominal fee" of $25 per day, which would go towards linens and other maintenance costs for the building, Matlow said.

As of now, Matlow said it's too early to know when the centre could open — the city and TPFA are still working to find donors for the $12-million project, which would include the refurbishment of the historic fire station, which was built in 1932.

"We want to put it to better use now. We wanted to bring it back to life," Matlow said. 

Matlow said he will be dedicating over a million dollars of the Community Benefits Charge toward the goal. 

Along with the burn centre, a firefighter heritage museum would be added to the heritage building's ground floor, Matlow said.

City committee considered burn centre motion Monday

In December 2024, Matlow brought a motion to city council to explore the feasibility of using an old fire hall to host a museum and burn survivor centre. 

The report came back Monday, where it is was considered and adopted at the general government committee meeting.

"I'm happy to announce that the staff support this. They believe not only is it feasible, but it's something we should do," Matlow said.

The motion's ratification now means the development of the project can move to the next steps, including funding and lease agreements.

The centre is being modelled after Vancouver's Burn Fund Centre, which opened in 2016, he said.