ABOUT US
What Do We Do?
Throughout the years, the Bytown Fire Brigade Historical Society (BFBHS) has worked to interpret, educate and celebrate Ottawa and Canada’s firefighting heritage.
Our Mission & Vision
Mission
The mission of The Bytown Fire Brigade Historical Society is to collect, preserve, conserve, restore, and display the artifacts and apparatus that tell the history of firefighting in Canada’s capital and the country as a whole.
Vision
We are a volunteer community of practice motivated by personal experience, acquired knowledge, or innate interest, working collaboratively to serve, share, and celebrate the history of Canada’s fire service.
About Our History
We are a volunteer community of practice dedicated to interpreting, educating and celebrating the history of firefighting in Canada’s capital and the country as a whole.
Formation of Bytown Fire Brigade
Every city’s history is written in the ashes of its many fires and Ottawa is no exception. To help preserve the fire heritage and the history of the Ottawa area, a group of concerned citizens from the business and professional community joined with area firefighters to create the Bytown Fire Brigade Historical Society in the early 1980s.
1980
1983
Incorporation
The Bytown Fire Brigade is officially incorporated as a federally registered non-profit historical society.
Bytown Fire Brigade Museum Opens
The Brigade has lodged its collection in Station # 3 at Cumberland and Clarence (1987), Station # 6 at MacKay and Vaughan (1988) and purchased its current home in 1990 located at 1-2880 Sheffield Rd.
1987
2024
Community Engagement and Artifact Collection
The Founders
Wayne Cornell
John Carriere
George Potvin
Peter Ryan
The Formation and Impact of BFBHS
The Bytown Fire Brigade Historical Society, established in the early 1980s and incorporated in 1983, was created by local business leaders, professionals, and firefighters to preserve the fire heritage of Canada’s Capital Region. It boasts one of Canada’s largest collections of antique fire apparatus and opened the Bytown Fire Brigade Historical Society Museum in 1987. Despite challenges like the museum’s closure, the Brigade remained dedicated to preserving firefighting history through outreach and educational programs. This commitment honors the legacy and bravery of firefighters.
Our Board of Directors
Peter McBride
President
president@bytownfire.ca
Scott Stilborn
Treasurer
treasurer@bytownfire.ca
Patrick Nault
Secretary
secretary@bytownfire.ca
Kent Penney
Director
kentpenney@bytownfire.ca
Braeden Mullin
Director
braedenmullin@bytownfire.ca
Rocky Rockburn
Director
rockyrockburn@bytownfire.ca
Matthew Guay
Director
matthewguay@bytownfire.ca
Supporting Partners and Affiliations
Join Our Team of Volunteers
