City of Kingston welcomes new Fire Chief

Monique Belair has been appointed Fire Chief and Director of Kingston Fire & Rescue (KFR). She will assume the role on Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023.

“Following a robust recruitment process, we are thrilled Chief Belair has accepted our offer to join the City of Kingston,” said Brad Joyce, Commissioner of Transportation and Public Works for the City of Kingston. “Chief Belair brings a strong community perspective and is adept at cultivating collaborative relationships to achieve results.”

According to a release from the City, before joining Kingston Fire and Rescue, Belair was Fire Chief of the Belleville Fire Department. She also held Deputy Chief positions with Oakville Fire, St. Catherines Fire and Emergency Services and served as a Regional Operations Manager with the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management.

The City noted that Belair also founded Camp Molly, a program that provides a unique opportunity for young women aged 15-18 to learn what it’s like to have a career in fire services.

“To the residents of Kingston, I am extremely honoured to have been selected to lead the Kingston Fire Services as their new Fire Chief and Director,” Belair stated. “I look forward to engaging with the community and building strong relationships with members of my department and the larger City organization.” 

The City added that Belair joins the department at an important time in KFR’s history. According to the release, in 2022, it became one of only ten fire services in Canada to achieve Certified Fire Accreditation International, a distinction awarded to agencies that meet the prescribed continuous quality improvement process established through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.