Grimsby firefighters will head to high-traffic areas across the community on Saturday, April 5, 2026, for their annual boot drive to collect donations for local charitable organizations. The long-standing tradition provides residents an opportunity to meet their local fire crews, let children explore a fire truck, and support essential community services.
The Grimsby Fire Department, which has served the area since 1879, operates with a team of nine full-time staff and 56 volunteer and part-time firefighters. The annual fundraiser is organized by the Grimsby Firefighters Association, which successfully collected nearly $14,000 during last year’s event to support local initiatives.
This year, the funds collected will benefit the Grimsby Auxiliary Marine Rescue Unit and another local organization. The marine rescue unit is a registered charity and a member of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary that provides 24-hour emergency standby throughout the boating season. As a 100 per cent volunteer organization that receives no sustained government funding, the unit relies almost entirely on community support to maintain its rescue vessel and train its team of more than 30 volunteers.
The importance of this support was highlighted by the unit’s activity in 2025, when it responded to 35 missions. During those calls, volunteers dedicated 59 vessel hours and more than 335 person-hours on the water to assist 50 people and help save nearly $1.2 million in property along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Previous beneficiaries of the boot drive include The FORT, the only free, full-service youth drop-in centre in West Niagara. The centre supports more than 10,000 youth visitors annually between the ages of 11 and 18 by offering free programs such as mental health support, life skills workshops, and counselling.
