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Firefighter at the City of Québec: $52,114 to $101,587 a year in 2026Lieutenant at the City of Québec: $111,744 in 2026Captain at the City of Québec: $121,903 in 2026Firefighter in Montreal: $50,808 to $88,367 a year (2023)Lieutenant in Montreal: $97,202 (2023)Captain in Montreal: $106,041 (2023)SOPFEU forest firefighter: $27.16 an hour in the first yearFirefighter in Quebec, median wage: $40.17 an hourPart-time firefighter in L'Assomption: $24.88 an hour (2025)Part-time firefighter in La Matapédia: $19.28 to $28.56 an hourFirefighter at the City of Québec: $52,114 to $101,587 a year in 2026Lieutenant at the City of Québec: $111,744 in 2026Captain at the City of Québec: $121,903 in 2026Firefighter in Montreal: $50,808 to $88,367 a year (2023)Lieutenant in Montreal: $97,202 (2023)Captain in Montreal: $106,041 (2023)SOPFEU forest firefighter: $27.16 an hour in the first yearFirefighter in Quebec, median wage: $40.17 an hourPart-time firefighter in L'Assomption: $24.88 an hour (2025)Part-time firefighter in La Matapédia: $19.28 to $28.56 an hour
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Firefighter jobs in Quebec: where to apply and how hiring works

Full-time cities, part-time municipalities, SOPFEU, airports, the Armed Forces: where to apply as a firefighter, what the regulation requires and the steps of a hiring process.

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Firefighter jobs in Quebec are found in five places: the fire department of a large city, the fire department of a municipality that hires part time, SOPFEU (Quebec's forest fire protection agency), an airport and the Canadian Armed Forces. Québec.ca counts 6,000 firefighters employed in Quebec in 2024. This text applies to women and men firefighters alike.

What the regulation requires before hiring

The Règlement sur les conditions pour exercer au sein d'un service de sécurité incendie municipal (chapter S-3.4, r. 1), up to date as of June 1, 2026, sets the firefighter's training according to the population the fire department serves.

Population servedTraining required by section 3
Fewer than 25,000 peopleFirefighter I certificate from the École nationale des pompiers du Québec
From 25,000 to 200,000 peopleFirefighter II certificate from the École
More than 200,000 peopleDEP (Diploma of Vocational Studies) in Fire Safety Intervention, or its equivalent

Source: LégisQuébec, chapter S-3.4, r. 1, section 3.

The same section allows a person to be hired as an apprentice, under the supervision of a qualified firefighter, while obtaining the certificate. This period does not exceed 48 consecutive months after the hiring date. It does not exist in a fire department serving more than 200,000 people: there, the diploma comes before hiring.

Large cities: a full-time position

Québec.ca writes, in its page updated on June 8, 2026, that full-time firefighters generally work in cities of more than 200,000 inhabitants.

  • The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM), Montreal's fire department, requires three years of training, namely the DEP (1 year) and the DEC (college diploma) in Fire Safety Techniques (2 years), with a class 4A driver's licence
  • The Service de sécurité incendie de Laval, which serves more than 450,000 citizens, requires the same two diplomas, the class 4A licence and a pleasure craft operator card
  • The Service de protection contre les incendies de Sherbrooke requires two to three years of training, the class 4A licence and a commitment to obtain class 3 after hiring

The City of Québec and the Longueuil agglomeration go through their job portals. Their requirements are in the job posting.

How a hiring process works

In Montreal, applications are accepted only during the posting period of a recruitment competition. The SIM describes six steps.

  • Posting of the competition and review of application eligibility
  • Psychometric test, a personality inventory
  • Interview assessing job-related skills
  • Two-part physical aptitude test, cardiovascular capacity then a timed course
  • Pre-employment checks: criminal record, medical exam, diplomas, class 4A licence, references
  • Overall review of the file

The psychometric test, the interview and each of the two parts of the physical test are eliminatory. A City doctor reviews the medical exam against the NFPA 1582 standard. Passing the process does not guarantee a job.

Laval adds a technical knowledge test at the preselection stage, a physical aptitude test in the water and a security clearance check. Sherbrooke gives a written knowledge exam, which is eliminatory, and also assesses swimming ability.

Municipalities: part time and on call

Part-time firefighters and volunteer firefighters generally work in municipal organizations of 200,000 inhabitants or fewer, according to Québec.ca. The part-time firefighter is paid for hours worked. The volunteer firefighter works on call and may be eligible for a tax credit. Firefighter I or Firefighter II training is taken while on the job. Job offers appear on the fire department's website and social media.

SOPFEU, airports and the Armed Forces

SOPFEU accepts forest firefighter applications from December 1 to January 15 each year. It requires a diploma in a field such as forestry or fire safety, or 3 years of work experience in a forest setting. The WFX-FIT physical test must be completed in 17 minutes 15 seconds or less. The first season lasts 16 weeks on average, at $27.16 an hour under the 2026 collective agreement.

Airport firefighters follow standard 323 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, published by Transport Canada. It requires every firefighter to retake training at least once every three years.

The Canadian Armed Forces hire firefighters with a high school diploma or a diploma from an accredited fire service program. Basic training is given in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Firefighter qualification lasts about seven months in Borden, Ontario.

This text summarizes public documents. It is not legal advice or union advice.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I apply to be a firefighter?

You apply on the employer's careers page, during the posting period of a competition. In Montreal, applications received outside a competition are not considered.

What studies do you need to become a firefighter in Quebec?

Regulation S-3.4, r. 1 requires the Firefighter I certificate in a fire department serving fewer than 25,000 people and the Firefighter II certificate from 25,000 to 200,000 people. Above 200,000 people, it requires the DEP in Fire Safety Intervention. Montreal and Laval also require the DEC in Fire Safety Techniques.

What is the average salary of a firefighter in Quebec?

Québec.ca does not publish an average salary. Its occupation profile, updated on June 19, 2026, gives a median wage of $41.00 an hour, based on average wages from 2023 to 2025.

What is the salary of a beginner firefighter?

The starting salary depends on the employer and its collective agreement. Québec.ca gives a minimum hourly wage of $24.00 for the occupation. At SOPFEU, a forest firefighter earns $27.16 an hour in the first year in 2026.

What is the salary of a part-time firefighter?

The part-time firefighter is paid for hours worked, writes Québec.ca. The rate changes from one municipality to another and no official source gives a common rate.

How do I become a volunteer firefighter?

Québec.ca uses the term volunteer firefighter. This firefighter works on call and is paid for hours worked. You apply to your municipality's fire department, then you have no more than 48 months after hiring to obtain the required certificate.

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