SARVAC is pleased to announce that President Janelle Coultes has been appointed Co-Chair of the Ground Search and Rescue Council of Canada (GSARCC). The GSAR Council of Canada brings together provincial and territorial search and rescue authorities, along with...

SARVAC is pleased to share two free online awareness courses from Boreal River Rescue, available exclusively to GSAR volunteers. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to Boreal River Rescue for generously providing these valuable training opportunities free of...

With Emergency Preparedness Week 2026 in full swing, it is an important reminder for Canadians everywhere to be prepared and understand the risks facing our communities. Emergencies are becoming more frequent, more severe, and more costly—and preparedness has never...

Volunteer canine teams play a critical role in Canada’s search and rescue system. Until now, however, there has been no unified national standard to guide their training, operational roles, or deployment. That is now changing. SARVAC’s National SAR Canine Program is...

SARVAC is pleased to welcome Bill Peck as the newest Territorial Representative for the Northwest Territories on the SARVAC Board of Directors. Bill brings over eleven years of experience in Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR), along with a strong background in geomatics,...

We’re proud to celebrate 30 years of saving lives through collaboration, innovation, and education. For three decades, SARVAC has supported volunteer-based Ground Search and Rescue efforts across Canada—bringing together a national network of highly trained responders...

It is with profound sadness that we share the recent passing of our colleague, mentor, and friend, Paul St-Onge, Training Coordinator for the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) Humanitarian Workforce Program. Paul was an integral part of our...

Earlier this week in Ottawa, SARVAC was pleased to participate in the Ready 2026 Conference, hosted by the Canadian Red Cross. We were represented in person by Lawrence Conway, Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) Program Director, with President Janelle Coultes joining...

For Mission Incident Support Team (MIST)/ National Incident Support Team (NIST) & Indigenous Unit Leads: Additional Training Opportunity Optional training and reference materials are available to support MIST/NIST members and Indigenous Unit Leads (IUL). While...