Male and female firefighters in Richmond have been ordered to start wearing standardized boxer shorts as part of the the B.C. city's  effort to reduce gender barriers at its fire halls.

Earlier in the year, all four female firefighters in Richmond walked off the job, claiming they were the victims of sexual harassment by the men there.

All firefighters in Richmond are being told to wear boxer short underwear while on the job.
(CBC)

A recent report by mediator Vince Ready called the culture in the fire department  "juvenile and hostile" toward women.

He called for separate washrooms, showers and change facilities at Richmond firehalls.

City spokeman Ted Townsend said Richmond is implementing Ready's recommendations and those from another report, adding that the new plan for standardized underwear is just something extra.

"Generally they change out of their pants into that gear in a common area. So, because their undergarments are then exposed, we felt that it was appropriate to establish a minimum standard for those undergarments."

Townsend said the city will spend $16,000 for the boxers for its 215 firefighters, with the money coming out of an existing budget.

Already a military requirement 

Townsend noted that the military requires its soldiers to wear the same underwear, but he believes Richmond is the first Canadian fire department to do so.

Vancouver fire department spokesman Capt. Rob Jones-Cook said there are no plans to follow Richmond's lead, but in light of the harassment complaints, he understands why they're doing it.

"I thought somebody was pulling my leg about it, because it's not something I've heard about before. With a little bit of retrospect on my part, I think I understand what's going on and why it's being done."