A city in Ontario has told firefighters it will not support the publication of their charity calendar this year because their bodies aren’t sufficiently covered up.
St Catherines Fire Combat Team have stripped down to their overalls for the annual fundraiser in the past.
But now the city has said it can’t give its backing to the racy snaps because its employees must have “the dignity and respect they deserve.”
“The City would like to emphasize this decision is not about charity, it’s about respect and dignity in the workplace and workplace culture,” said Deputy Chief Administrative Officer David Oakes.
Oakes said the policy was prompted by an investigation into an internal complaint about a calendar featuring partially undressed women being displayed in a municipal setting.
In a statement, the city added: “At the City, a calendar depicting males or females partially undressed is not permitted in the workplace.
“To ensure there are no contradictions in the expectations of the corporation, as an employer, the City will no longer promote or support the publication of photographs of partially undressed employees in their professional capacity or using City resources.”
The president of the St Catharines Professional Firefighters Association said the city’s decision is unfortunate, and said they’ve never received any complaints about the combat team’s calendar.
Ryan Madill said last year’s calendar helped raise $18,000 for mental health services in St Catharines, and also serves as a “morale booster” for the firefighters involved.
