Terms and Conditions

Full program terms and conditions are available on the Public Safety website:
Memorial Grant Program for First Responders Terms and Conditions.

You can reach one of our trained specialists Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time via telephone, TTY, e-mail or by mail as follows:

Toll-free: 1-833-469-0753
By TTY device: 1-888-362-5889
Email: inquiry@memorialgrant.ca

By mail:
Memorial Grant Program for First Responders
116 Albert St., Suite #1000
Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3

Definitions

For the purposes of the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders, the following definitions apply:

First Responder: An individual who was employed or formally engaged to carry out the duties of a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, correctional officer, parole officer, or probation officer by a Canadian emergency service in Canada.

Police Officer: An individual who was employed or formally engaged as a volunteer, auxiliary or reservist by a provincial, territorial, regional, municipal or indigenous police service to perform duties that protect the public; detect, prevent or investigate crime; or perform other policing activities. This may also include those who plan, organize, direct and control police force administration and police activities. At the federal level, this includes the following individuals in respect of the officers and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police commonly known as:

  • Regular Members;
  • Community Constables;
  • Reserve Constables;
  • Auxiliary Constables; and
  • Supernumerary Special Constables.

Firefighter: An individual who was employed or formally engaged as a volunteer, auxiliary or reservist by a provincial, territorial, regional, municipal or indigenous fire service to perform firefighting, fire prevention activities and assist in other emergencies. This may also include those who plan, organize, direct and control firefighting operations and fire prevention activities.

Paramedic: An individual who was employed or formally engaged as a volunteer, auxiliary or reservist by a provincial, territorial, regional, municipal or indigenous paramedic or ambulance service to perform duties related to the administration of pre-hospital emergency medical care to patients with injuries or medical illnesses, including transportation to hospitals or other medical facilities for further emergency medical care. A paramedic may also be known as an emergency medical attendant (EMA), emergency medical technician (EMT) and ambulance attendant.

Correctional, Parole, and Probation Officer: An individual who was employed or formally engaged by a federal, provincial, territorial, regional, municipal, or indigenous correctional service who was responsible for the custody, safety, security, and supervision of persons whom have been arrested, are awaiting trial or inmates in a penitentiary, prison or any other correctional facility or institution, are on conditional release, or other persons as deemed by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Eligible Recipients

An eligible recipient is defined as an individual who is able to demonstrate and provide evidence of a relationship to a deceased first responder as described below. Eligible beneficiaries are to be determined and paid in accordance with the following descending order of priority:

  • the spouse or common-law partner; or
  • if there is no surviving spouse or common-law partner, to a surviving child or children divided in equal amounts; or
  • if there is no surviving child, to a surviving parent or parents divided in equal amounts, or
  • if there is no surviving parent, to a surviving sibling or siblings divided in equal amounts; or
  • if there is no surviving sibling, to the deceased's estate.

Incident Eligibility

For the purposes of the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders, death must be attributable to, and resulting from, the performance of duties in the following circumstances:

  • death resulting from a fatal injury (e.g., gunshot wound, stabbing, car accident, etc.) while actively engaged in the duties of a first responder in Canada.
  • death resulting from an occupational illness primarily resulting from employment as a first responder (e.g., lung cancer, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, heart injury or other illness). Following established provincial and territorial practices; a presumptive list of occupational illnesses and related years of service will be established and maintained by Public Safety Canada based on current scientific evidence; or
  • death resulting from or reasonably attributable to psychological impairment, specifically suicide, based on a pre-existing diagnosis or multiple separate affidavits.

The date of death must be on or after April 1, 2018.

The Memorial Grant will not be paid in the following situations:

  • if the fatal injury was caused by the intentional misconduct of the first responder or the deceased's intention to bring about their death, except in cases of psychological impairment (i.e., suicide);
  • if the first responder was voluntarily impaired at the time of their fatal injury, except in cases of psychological impairment (i.e., suicide); or
  • if the first responder was not performing their duties in good faith at the time of their fatal injury.

Maximum Amount

The total maximum amount payable to any eligible recipient or group of recipients is a one-time, lump sum, tax-free payment of $300,000.

Application Requirements

Every application for the Memorial Grant Program for First Responders must include documentary evidence that establishes:

  • the identity of the deceased first responder;
  • the identity of the applicant;
  • the relationship between the deceased first responder and the applicant (e.g., marriage certificate, birth certificate, adoption certificates, affidavits, statutory declarations, and any other similar documents as may be required to determine eligibility); and
  • a court-certified copy of the last will and testament, letters of administration or other similar documentation, as may be required if there is no eligible beneficiary for the purposes of the Memorial Grant.

For death resulting from fatal injury, the application must include, in addition to the above:

  • a duly completed application form;
  • an attestation from an authority authorized to represent the employer organization that attests and confirms that the first responder was employed or formally engaged by the police, paramedic or firefighting service to perform functions and acted in an official capacity at the time the fatal injury occurred. This attestation is to include a description of the circumstances of the fatal injury;
  • medical records or other records that document the first responder's injury, including the primary cause of death and other contributing factors;
  • a certified true copy of the death certificate; and
  • other documents or evidence as may be required to confirm eligibility.

For death resulting from occupational illness, the application must include, in addition to the above:

  • a duly completed application form;
  • an attestation from an authority authorized to represent the employer organization that attests and confirms the length of time that the individual was employed or formally engaged by the police, paramedic or firefighting service;
  • medical records or other records that document the first responder's disease and diagnosis;
  • medical reports or other records that document the primary cause of death and other contributing factors;
  • a certified true copy of the death certificate; and
  • other documents or evidence as may be required to confirm eligibility.

For death resulting from psychological impairment, the application must include, in addition to the above:

  • a duly completed application form;
  • an attestation from an authority authorized to represent the employer organization that attests and confirms that the individual was employed or formally engaged by the police, paramedic or firefighting service to perform functions and acted in an official capacity;
  • medical records or other records that document the first responder's pre-existing diagnosis of an operational stress injury due to their engagement and/or employment as a first responder;
  • in the absence of a pre-existing diagnosis, multiple separate affidavits from family members living in the same household, friends, employer and/or colleagues attesting to the perceived mental state of the first responder;
  • a certified true copy of the death certificate; and
  • other documents or evidence as may be required to establish eligibility.

Full program terms and conditions are available on the Public Safety website:
Memorial Grant Program for First Responders Terms and Conditions.

Toll free: 1-833-469-0753

TTY: 1-888-362-5889

Email: inquiry@memorialgrant.ca