City Guides / Ontario

How to become a firefighter in Burlington

Verified GuideModel A: We train youCPAT

Where are you starting from?

What you need

The credentials and documents Burlington requires before you can apply.

How hiring works here

Every stage Burlington publishes, and how to do each one well.

Build your plan

Two minutes: see which requirements you already meet, and what to start first.

At a glance

Entry model: Model A: We train you
Fire certification before applying: None listed before applying
Medical requirement: Current CPR and first aid certification
Driver requirement: Valid Ontario DZ driver's licence with a good driver abstract
Written test: None published
Physical test: CPAT
Last verified: July 2026 · sources monitored daily for changes

A summary of this record. The full detail is below, and the official posting governs.

Burlington hires career firefighters at entry level: NFPA standards and Canadian Heart and Stroke Emergency Medical Responder standards for BLS and First Aid are skill requisites that recruits achieve during recruit training, not before applying. To qualify you need current CPR and first aid certification, at least a Grade 12 education or equivalent, a valid Ontario DZ licence with a good driver abstract, legal entitlement to work in Canada with a current vulnerable sector and criminal record check, prescribed uncorrected vision of 20/30 in each eye with a passed colour vision test, and the capacity for intense sustained physical effort, with CPAT testing undertaken during the recruitment process. Pre-service fire education, previous firefighting experience, and trades or medical experience are preferred qualifications.

Entry-level hiring with no fire certifications required. The department trains recruits in-house. Medical certifications and driver licensing are the differentiators.

Requirements

Required at application

Current CPR and first aid certification
Prepare with roadmap step 3
Legally entitled to work in Canada
Prepare with roadmap step 2
Current vulnerable sector and criminal record check
Must be obtained and passed.
Grade 12 education or equivalent
Valid Ontario DZ driver's licence with a good driver abstract
Prepare with roadmap step 4
Vision 20/30 in each eye without corrective lenses
Includes satisfactory completion of a colour vision test.
Understand and communicate in English

Required before hire

CPAT testing during the recruitment process
Applicants must be capable of handling intense and sustained physical effort; CPAT testing will be undertaken during the recruitment process.
Prepare with roadmap step 13
Health and medical evaluation and fitness assessment
Provided by the contracted City of Burlington parties at the time of application.

Preferred assets

Pre-service firefighter education and training programPreferred asset
Previous firefighting experience (volunteer or career)Preferred asset
Trades or medical profession experience or certificationPreferred asset

The hiring process

Burlington only hires through posted competitions on the City of Burlington careers page, and the City states it does not accept unsolicited resumes. Watch the careers page and apply through the City's online portal while the posting is open, because there is no standing application file.
Have the application minimums in place before you apply: Grade 12 or equivalent, a valid Ontario DZ licence with a good driver abstract, current CPR and first aid certification, legal entitlement to work in Canada, and a current vulnerable sector and criminal record check. The DZ licence takes time to earn, so start it well before a posting appears.
You do not need NFPA 1001 certification to apply. Burlington states that NFPA standards and Canadian Heart and Stroke Emergency Medical Responder standards for BLS and First Aid are achieved during recruit training, so do not screen yourself out for lacking fire certifications.
Preferred qualifications the City lists are pre-service firefighter education, previous volunteer or career firefighting experience, and trades or medical profession experience or certification. Make any of these easy to find in your resume, and note the City says it only contacts applicants who are invited to an interview. If you need an accommodation, contact Human Resources at 905-335-7602 or hr@burlington.ca.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 7 Review your Gap List Certification tracker
Burlington states that CPAT testing will be undertaken during the recruitment process, tied to its requirement that you be capable of intense and sustained physical effort. The department does not publish who administers the test, where it runs, or any fee, so confirm those details with the department when you are invited.
CPAT is a timed pass or fail circuit of eight firefighting job tasks performed while wearing a weighted vest. Train for it specifically: stair climbing under load, dragging and carrying, and grip endurance matter far more than gym maximums, and candidates who rehearse the event sequence pace themselves better on test day.
Burlington also says you may be given other tests measuring your ability to understand and follow written and verbal instructions, reading, reasoning and mathematical skills, technical and mechanical skills, and physical fitness and swimming abilities. Practise timed aptitude questions and make sure you are a confident swimmer before this stage, and confirm the exact test lineup with the department.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 13 Start a fitness program
The City states you must pass a health and medical evaluation and a fitness assessment provided by the contracted City of Burlington parties at the time of application. You do not choose the provider, so your job is to show up prepared and to disclose your health history honestly.
Burlington's vision standard is strict: 20/30 in each eye without corrective lenses, plus satisfactory completion of a colour vision test. If you wear glasses or contacts, or have any doubt about your colour vision, see an optometrist early in your preparation and confirm your options with the department before you invest months in the process.
Arrive rested and hydrated, bring a list of any medications and relevant medical records, and treat the fitness assessment as seriously as the CPAT. A borderline result here can stall an otherwise strong file, so keep training right through this stage rather than peaking only for the physical test.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 13 Start a fitness program
Burlington trains its own recruits to standard: the City states that NFPA standards and Canadian Heart and Stroke Emergency Medical Responder standards for BLS and First Aid are achieved during recruit training, not before hiring. Expect a demanding mix of classroom, practical evolutions, and medical training with formal evaluations along the way.
Treat recruit training as a continued assessment, because it is. Show up early, keep your gear squared away, ask questions when you do not understand, and protect your sleep and recovery, since injuries and failed evaluations are the main ways recruits run into trouble.
Arrive with your CPR and first aid knowledge fresh and your fitness at or above the level you tested at, because training builds on both. Confirm the training schedule, location, and probation terms with the department, as Burlington does not publish these details.
Department source for this stage
Read roadmap step 14 Academy preparation guide Start a fitness program

Worth knowing

NFPA standards and Canadian Heart and Stroke Emergency Medical Responder standards for BLS and First Aid are skill requisites achieved during recruit training rather than before applying.
Candidates may also be given tests measuring comprehension, reading, reasoning and mathematical skills, technical and mechanical skills, and physical fitness and swimming abilities.

Official sources

Last verified July 2026. Requirements change: the official posting always governs.

City of Burlington: Working with the Fire Department

Semparo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Burlington Fire Department or any testing vendor. This guide is independent preparation content.

See your personal gap list for Burlington

Tell us which certifications and licences you already hold. We compare them against every requirement above and show exactly what stands between you and this department.

Build my Gap List