Probationary (first 'year') wages

STATISTICS that were brought up, so, I looked it all up, while hiring more firemedics would reduce overtime, our fire services are also the highest paid when compared to Edmonton and Calgary. First 6-12mos/probationary only <>:

Red Deer $109,850
Winnipeg $95,000
St. Albert $81.195
Medicine Hat $81,195
Fort Mac $80,709
Montreal $75,000
Lacombe* $74,000
Halifax $73,700
Toronto $73,000
Vancouver $72,706
Regina* $72,706^
Calgary $72,600
Edmonton $64,300
Airdrie $62,585
North Bay $60,000
Grand Prairie $56, 471
Lloydminster $47,881
Fredericton $46,000

National Average $72,000*-87,314*

The question is: Is Red Deer Firefighters overpaid OR are all of the cities listed grossly underpaid?

In 2023, overall life expectancy in Canada was approximately 81.5 years, with variations by province—for example, 82.3 in Ontario and 80.7 in Alberta.

While there isn’t a precise, nationally aggregated number for the average lifespan of Canadian firefighters, multiple credible sources and studies provide context indicating that their life expectancy is lower than that of the general Canadian population, typically by 5 to 10 years.

From Workers’ Compensation Board data (2007–2021), nearly 85% of job-related firefighter fatalities in Canada were due to cancer. These occur at nearly double the rate of the general population's cancer deaths.

<> AI-generated estimate for a full-time, probationary position (6-12 months). Figures are averaged and represent base salary only; they do not account for staffing levels, fire vs firemedic (in limited cases), coverage area, or annual overtime. These excluded factors are important. For instance, when more firemedics share the workload, individual pay can be lower due to reduced personal responsibility.

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The starting salary for an RCMP member in Red Deer, Alberta is $71,191. Their annual budget for our city alone is $36 Million (which does not include the $6.3M+ retroactive pay raise - balance - that the RCMP gave themselves without asking the city first). This budget is up $3 Million from last year (almost what we paid firefighters for overtime last year). The city is paying for 160 officers (176 on the books?).