A local fire chief says the closure of the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst will be missed by fire fighters.
The facility has been closed since last March because of COVID-19, but the province announced last week it is now going to be replaced by a combination of online learning and Regional Training Centres.
Marty Bedard is the fire chief for Huron East and North Huron.
"Firefighters really liked to go up and spend a week and get the whole course done and over with and your certification all within one to two weeks. With the Regional Training Centre, sometimes it's spread out over months," said Bedard.
Another concern about the regional training option is the cost to municipalities.
"When we took training at the Fire College, the fee was $65, which was everything included. A lot of the training centres don't get subsidized by the Province so they have their costs, so the fees are usually between $400 and $600 per course," added Bedard.
As part of the plan and the two mobile units that will bring live fire training to local fire services, specialized equipment will also be made available to allow training to specifically tailored to local needs.