Age Discrimination Claim by 60-Year-Old Firefighter Properly Dismissed

A suppression firefighter turned 60 and was required to retire. He was offered a position as a communications officer as an accommodation but refused it. He filed an age discrimination claim, which was dismissed. So the firefighter appealed. The court dismissed his appeal. It noted that a prior Human Rights Tribunal decision found that a mandatory retirement age of 60 for suppression firefighters was reasonably necessary to ensure their health and safety. The Tribunal concluded that this firefighter’s case had no prospect of success given the prior decision. And the court ruled that this conclusion was reasonable [Gill v. Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, [2014] ONSC 1840 (CanLII), March 24, 2014].