Fire Chief

The Town of Whitby is one of Canada’s fastest growing communities located in the heart of Durham Region in southern Ontario. It is home to approximately 140,000 residents and more than 2,200 businesses and is the second largest municipality in the Regional Municipality of Durham. Whitby combines a small town atmosphere with the sophistication and amenities of a larger urban centre. Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, Whitby boasts two beautiful heritage downtowns, one of the finest recreational harbours with two marinas, year round sports and recreation activities, parks, trails, beaches and a robust arts and culture scene, all of which are part of the extraordinary amenities that Whitby residents enjoy every day. With a population projected to grow to 200,000 people within the next 7 years, Whitby has an exciting and aspiring future.

Reporting to the CAO, the Fire Chief is accountable for the overall senior leadership, strategic direction, and coordination of all sections within Whitby Fire & Emergency Services. The Fire Chief ensures the Fire Department operations continue to deliver exceptional customer service in the areas of public education, prevention, suppression and rescue services to the citizens of the Town of Whitby. The Fire Chief also oversees all staff training, and overall emergency management. The Fire Chief appropriately balances the delivery of emergency services with taxpayers’ funding of services across the municipality.

This position is a member of the Senior Leadership Team which is responsible for moving forward the objectives of the CAO and Mayor and Council. In addition, the Fire Chief is required to ensure compliance and enforcement of all applicable statutes, by-laws and regulations related to the municipality and the fire service.

Finally, the Fire Chief is responsible for acting as the “Assistant to the Fire Marshal” with respect to the Fire Protection and Prevention Act; “Chief Fire Official” with respect to the Ontario Fire Code; “Authority having jurisdiction” with respect to applicable portions of the Building Code.

Overall duties and responsibilities of the Fire Chief must remain in alignment with requirements under various legislative bodies, including but not limited to the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1990, Employment Standards Act, 2000, and applicable collective agreements.

The compensation range for the role is $203,386 - $231,121 per year and this advertisement is to fill a vacancy.

The ideal candidate will hold a Post Secondary Education Diploma/Degree in Fire Service(s), Business Administration, Public Administration or related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible work experience. They will be a graduate from the Ontario Fire College, with completion of all legislatively required training, including but not limited to the Company Officer Program and hold a Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) professional designation. Completion of executive Chief Fire Officer (ECFO) professional designation and Completion of NFPA 1021 – Fire Officer 4 are considered assets.

The ideal candidate will bring a minimum of twelve (12) years of progressively responsible experience in the fire service industry; and a minimum of five (5) years of senior leadership experience in the fire service working within a complex unionized environment. A combination of equivalent experience and education may be considered. Extensive and progressive training as a Firefighter, Training Officer, Fire Prevention Officer and/or Senior Suppression Officer in the fire service is required.

To view the full Position Profile, please click here (Download PDF). 

If you wish to be considered for the role, please email a cover letter and your resume to Kartik Kumar at careers@lesp.ca by October 8, 2026 @ 11:59 pm.

Please be assured that any information shared with Legacy Partners will be treated with the strictest confidence and shared only with the client for the purposes of this search.

Thank you once again for your interest.

Legacy Partners and the Town of Whitby are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse staff is essential to organizational excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage women, members of racialized communities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity to confidentially self-identify at the time of application. In accordance with the provincial legislation, accommodation will be provided by Legacy Partners and the organization throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities.