Events

Photo Tours

Each year, we set up photo tours of fire services throughout Ontario (and sometimes just over provincial/federal borders), where our members and their guests are able to mingle and get staged shots of the fire apparatus. Photo tours are generally held monthly from May to September and announced in the Third Alarm newsletter. On a typical tour, a group of buffs will travel to a prearranged group of fire halls in a particular area to photograph the apparatus.

We have held tours across southern Ontario, from Windsor to Kingston, north to Midland and Gravenhurst, plus virtually every place in between. We visit everything, from some of Ontario’s largest cities (Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga) to the smallest townships. We have also made forays to Ottawa, Buffalo and Cleveland.

In most cases, attendees provide their own transportation (carpooling is encouraged), and on occasions, we have used a bus charter, where members shared the costs. While we always hope for bright sunshiny days, the tours generally proceed as planned whatever the weather.

2025 Photo Tours

 – Exact dates to be confirmed –

May 2025 – Barrie

June 2025 – London

July 2025 – Buffalo, NY (2 day)

August 2025 – Owen Sound / Meaford

September 2025 – Norfolk County

Completed Photo Tours

2024 – Burlington, Wilmot & Wellesley Townships, Markham, Dufferin County, Oakville
2023 – Thorold & Welland, Oxford & Elgin, Mississauga, Pearson Airport & Halton Hills, Richmond Hill
2022 – Kingston, Brantford & Brant County. Vaughan, Hamilton, Sarnia & area

Saturday November 1st, 2025

54th Annual OFBA Business Meeting @ 1000 hrs

34th OFBA Fire Service Collectibles Show
@ 1130hrs

On the first Saturday every November we hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Fire Service Collectibles Show at the Toronto Fire Academy. Our AGM, where members have the opportunity to voice their opinions and vote on matters that relate to the future direction of the club, is held in the morning followed by set up for the Collectibles Show.

The show is open to the public and you are invited to browse through the wide selection of books, photos, toys and other firematic items. If you have equipment, memorabilia or other fire related items and you wish to be a vendor, there is no charge to set up a table, which we will supply.

72nd IFBA Convention
September 14-18, 2025

The OFBA will be co-hosting the 2025 Convention in Ottawa / Gatineau with the GTMAA and PAM with planning already underway.

As a member of the IFBA, we quite often have members attending the annual convention which takes place in a North American city.

Info available at: http://ifba.org/

SPAAMFAA National Convention