Jim Jessop appointed new Toronto Fire Chief

CITYnews halifax /By John Marchesan

Toronto City Council has appointed a new fire chief. Jim Jessop is set to take over on Jan. 2, 2025, after Matthew Pegg announced his retirement last May.

Jessop began his firefighting career in Toronto in 1996. He has held leadership roles with the Ontario government, the City of Niagara Falls and the City of London before rejoining the Toronto Fire Service (TFS) in 2015. He is currently the Deputy Fire Chief and previously served as acting fire chief from August 2020 to April 2022.

As Fire Chief and General Manager, Jessop will oversee all aspects of TFS the city said in a release on Friday.

“Thanks to Toronto City Council for entrusting me to lead the Toronto Fire Service – the largest fire service in Canada – into its next chapter. Together, we will continue to protect residents, visitors and businesses against all hazards through preparedness, prevention, public education and emergency response,” Jessop said in a release.

Pegg ended a 32-year career as a firefighter on October 4, having spent the last eight years as fire chief. He was appointed Toronto’s COVID-19 incident commander in March 2020 and was a central figure in coordinating the city’s overall response to the pandemic.