Homes with seniors and the disabled will have to pay to have their fire plans reviewed each year.

This spring, the province decided all seniors’ homes and those for the medically vulnerable had to have sprinklers. More than 50,000 seniors live in about 700 retirement homes in Ontario

Part of the changes made at the time included making each home have their fire safety plan approved by local fire officials each year.

In Petrolia, Councilor Joel Field says that will mean a lot more work for the local fire department.

“Right now they do one plan a year. Now there is a requirement to do all homes and anyone who has someone who is challenged living with them,” Field, who sits on the fire committee, told council Monday. “We’re going to be doing 17 of these now.”

Field says that will mean firefighters will have to undergo extra training at the Lambton Fire School to be able to carryout the inspections.

“This will put a strain on a few people and that’s why the fee was put in,” he added.

Each plan will cost $125 plus the time it take for the firefighters to complete it.