$82M FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT
“When emergencies strike, local organizations and community volunteers are often among the first on the scene and provide vital support—from assisting with evacuation efforts, to opening shelters and providing food, clothing, and compassion to those with nowhere else to go.”
–The Honorable Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Bill Blair
Earlier today the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada was proud to attend a funding announcement hosted by The Honorable Minister, Bill Blair alongside St. John Ambulance Canada, The Salvation Army in Canada and Canadian Red Cross to formally announce the funding of $82M dedicated to bolstering civilian response capabilities.
This funding will allow Ground Search and Rescue volunteers and responders alike to train new personnel, purchase equipment, and adapt procedures in order to address the needs of specific communities across Canada.
A few words from our President:
“Thank you to the Government of Canada, in particular Minister Blair for being a tremendous partner over the last number of years as we collectively work towards bolstering national resilience and readiness in the face of disasters that are increasing in size and frequency.”
Janelle Coultes
President, The Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada
Funding as such will allow us to continue leveraging the experience of Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) volunteers and utilize their skill sets on a national scale under the Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) Program.
We look forward to continuing the delivery of a wide variety of capabilities derived from trained Search and Rescue personnel, that will support volunteer responders experienced in working with a command-and-control structure in hazardous environments across a pan-Canadian geographic region.
We are grateful and excited to work alongside our colleagues with the St Johns Ambulance, Canadian Red Cross and Salvation Army as we collectively work at increasing our capacity to serve and support Canadians during future emergencies.
It is thanks to funding as such and the support from the Government of Canada that we are able to serve Canadians in time of emergency.
Read the full press release: