Evaluation of the Search and Rescue (SAR) Initiatives

Background

Search and Rescue (SAR) in Canada is spread across 18 million square km of land and water, 240,000 km of coastline, three oceans, three million lakes, and the St. Lawrence River system. These internationally recognized boundaries are one of the largest in the world.

SAR in Canada is a shared responsibility between aeronautical, maritime, and ground response. These roles are distributed between federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Additional partners include national, provincial and territorial SAR volunteer associations, municipal policing, Indigenous communities, various non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. SAR activities include:

• response and governance;
• prevention and training;
• collaboration and coordination; and
• development of SAR tools.

The federal response is shared between the Canadian Armed Forces (Aeronautical SAR), the Canadian Coast Guard (Maritime SAR), Parks Canada (SAR incidents within National Parks), and Public Safety Canada (PS). PS plays a role in providing governance and coordination of SAR through the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS).

Ground SAR (GSAR) response is a provincial and territorial (PT) responsibility. Each PT has various resources within their response capacity including municipal police forces, local SAR teams, volunteers, fire departments, and provincial police, including contracted Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

There are five key SAR programs that are led by PS:

Worker’s Compensation Program (WCP)

Cost-shares provincial/territorial compensation to volunteer emergency service workers (including SAR volunteers) who are either killed or injured during emergency service work or training.

Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) Contribution Program

Provides funding to the Association that represents 9,000 Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) volunteers on 300 teams across all 13 PTs through the SARVAC Board of Directors.

Search and New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF)

Provides funding to projects to develop SAR prevention and response innovations.

Cosmicheskaya Sistema Poiska Avariynyh Sudov - Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (COSPAS-SARSAT)

Provides and sustains units for the required Space Segment through the International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme Agreement (ICSPA) Treaty.

Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR)

Provides funding support to six Canadian Task Forces (CANTF) that respond to disasters. Four of these teams are deployable at the heavy level with two teams continuing to build to their full capacity.

Evaluation Purpose and Methodology

The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the relevance, effectiveness, and design and delivery of PS SAR programs. The evaluation covered the period from fiscal year 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 and was conducted in accordance with the Treasury Board Policy on Results and Policy on Transfer Payments.

Interviews

Twenty-nine key informant interviews were conducted with PS staff from each of the initiatives; external partners; and funding recipients from SAR NIF, HUSAR, and SARVAC.

Program Document Review

Program documents and literature (e.g. government reports, articles, academic research) were reviewed.

Performance and Financial Data

Available performance data was reviewed and program financial data was analysed.

Limitations

There was limited performance data available to measure activities, WCP claims, and response and prevention efforts. To mitigate this gap, available data was supplemented, when possible, with interviews and documents.

Findings

Continued Need

PS SAR Priorities and Obligations

PS’ roles for SAR align with priorities laid out in the Emergency Management Framework for Canada and the Emergency Management Strategy for Canada with roles and responsibilities encompassed in its emergency management responsibilities. The SAR programs at PS align with the overall Government of Canada priorities of keeping Canadians safe and healthy and working with other levels of government and other partners, and with PS emergency management strategic priorities.

SAR Responsibilities in Canada

SAR responsibilities in Canada are divided between federal and provincial/territorial governments. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is responsible for aeronautical SAR and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is responsible for maritime SAR, while PTs are responsible for ground SAR (GSAR) including inland waters. GSAR is usually delegated or carried out by the police services or other first responders of the province, territory, or municipality, with the assistance of other partners, including volunteer SAR organizations, as necessary.

The Minister of Emergency Preparedness is responsible for the overall leadership of SAR in Canada, which includes liaising with and bringing together partners, such as federal government departments, PTs, and others with SAR responsibilities. The Minister is also recognized as the Champion of GSAR at the federal level.

PS is responsible for the coordination of Canada’s SAR policies and programs between all SAR partners. This is led by the NSS within PS. The NSS has worked with partners to create a National Search and Rescue Framework and support national initiatives to address collective SAR priorities within Canada’s SAR system. The Framework is in its final steps before publication online which will update and replace the National SAR Program.

Canada’s SAR structure is comparable to that of Australia and the USA where SAR roles are shared among federal, local, state, tribal, territorial, and insular area authorities. Other countries, such as New Zealand, India, and Japan have retained more SAR authority at the national level.

PS Funding Supports Priorities and Obligations

Throughout the time period of the evaluation, PS has, on several occasions, publicly reinforced the importance of search and rescue in Canada, and funded, through grants and contributions (Gs&Cs), activities which support and improve search and rescue.

SAR NIF funds search and rescue-related projects in Canada which contribute to the safety of Canadians through work on safety promotion and education and improving search and rescue response in all jurisdictions. This included providing three-year funding of nearly $1 million to the SARVAC at the end of 2018-2019.

COSPAS-SARSAT is an international obligation under the International COSPAS-SARSAT Programme Agreement (ICSPA) Treaty. Canada, represented by PS, is one of the four founding nations of the Programme and takes turns with the other three nations, the USA, Russia, and France, in being Council Chair. Annual Canadian contributions are paid through PS.

One of the HUSAR program’s priorities is the interoperability and deployment of teams between jurisdictions, which was outlined in the national Concept of Operations (CONOPS), while another priority is to develop an accreditation process that would be certified by the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).

Effectiveness

Workers Compensation Program

The WCP began in 1959 to compensate emergency service volunteers, including SAR volunteers, who have been injured or killed during their duties through a cost-sharing expenditure program with PT governments. The program is now available to all PTs, however only British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia currently make use of the WCP.

During the period of 2019 to 2024, over 2,179 claims for volunteer emergency service workers across four provinces were reported. PS paid $1,969,138 towards these claims. Compensation for the WCP has significantly increased compared to previous periods. From 2005 to 2015, the yearly average was close to $230,000. From 2019 to 2024 the yearly average $400,000.

SAR volunteers in British Columbia have been the primary recipients of the WCP since its inception. From 1959 until 2010, BC accounted for 87% of claims. In the current evaluation period, BC accounted for 80% of claims.

The WCP does not have a dedicated budget and relies on residual funding from other PS programs. With the increase of WCP claims and budgetary pressures across the Department, it can be challenging to ensure adequate funding.

Key informants described the WCP as a “dormant” program. A fully functional WCP would require significant work with departments and jurisdictions across Canada, including obtaining dedicated and sustained funding. Those who did not directly work with the WCP were unaware of how it operated.

“Could there not be a way to amalgamate this program with others to make it more beneficial to Canadians?”

– Program Staff

Recommendations from key informants emphasized the need to revise the WCP. The previous evaluation of the WCP in 2015 suggested exploring potential linkages with existing compensation programs. This work was never completed.

Adequate protection for SAR volunteers has been a concern for years. Volunteer organizations, such as SARVAC, pursue ongoing insurance for their GSAR volunteers. SARVAC has encountered difficulties in finding a solution for insurance aside from providing their own. Program staff have questioned if there could be a way to amalgamate this program with others to make it more beneficial to Canadians.

Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada

The SARVAC Contribution Program provides organizational and functional funding to the national association for the purpose of improving GSAR coordination, consistency and standardization. SARVAC is the only eligible recipient of funding.

The PS funding to SARVAC has enabled thirteen provincial and territorial volunteer GSAR Associations to be represented on the SARVAC Board of Directors. The Board advocates for the 9,000 GSAR members who provide essential SAR services on land and inland waters. These teams specialize in areas such as canine, swift water, ice water, helicopter, high-angle and avalanche rescues. With nearly 300 teams total across every province and territory, SARVAC members conduct over 1,800 searches annually, dedicating 150,000 hours to search efforts.

SARVAC has leveraged funding to improve team standards and implement best practices. Its nationwide presence ensures stability and supports broader initiatives, including training initiatives and national standards, which have a significant impact on a national scale.

A few challenges affecting SARVAC were identified, including insufficient communication between SARVAC and PTs regarding search and rescue. Most PTs delegate GSAR responsibilities to local police, and many have shown limited interest in discussing search and rescue with SARVAC. While some provinces, such as British Columbia, have invested in GSAR volunteers through funding for equipment and training, many other PTs have not made similar commitments.

Another issue identified was the insurance coverage for volunteers. PS provides additional funding through the SARVAC Contribution Program to SARVAC for third party insurance premiums on par with similar support of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association by the CAF and the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary by the CCG, but this was intended as a temporary solution. Despite this, no permanent alternative has been proposed or funded. Sufficient and appropriate insurance is critical for recruiting and retaining volunteers. Key informants stated that the funding allocated to insurance premiums utilizes an increasing portion of the SARVAC Contribution Program, which reduces the available funds for other essential activities.

Delivering SAR Prevention

SARVAC plays a crucial role in supporting AdventureSmart, a national prevention program that provides online and in person awareness with targeted outreach in order to reduce the number and severity of SAR incidents in Canada. AdventureSmart is funded by the SARVAC Contribution Program and receives additional funding for specific projects through the SAR NIF Contribution Program.

SARVAC collaborates with AdventureSmart to promote safety programs.

• “Hug-a-Tree and Survive” is a program that teaches children essential survival skills.
• “Survive Outside” focuses on outdoor preparedness and promoting responsible recreation habits for individuals of all ages.

Through AdventureSmart, GSAR volunteers play a vital role in educating communities across Canada by delivering presentations and distributing educational resources. Over the evaluation period, GSAR volunteers provided 2,992 presentations, reaching 133,846 participants.

Key informants stated that the AdventureSmart program and school exhibits have improved incident prevention.

“Kids will come up and say what they’ve learned on the presentation from two years ago.”

– Funding Recipient

In 2019, SARVAC and Parks Canada partnered to launch the AdventureSmart Trip Plan App, available to download for free on both the Apple and Android devices. In 2021, AdventureSmart further expanded its reach by launching an online interactive game and eLearning platform for children. Nevertheless, social media could be used to help AdventureSmart reach a wider audience, especially among hikers, backcountry campers, and paddlers.

Providing Training

SARVAC has strengthened SAR operations across Canada by providing training and certification programs for GSAR volunteers within the PTs. SARVAC has developed the GSAR Competency Training Standard Z1620 and Curriculum Standards Z1625 for Searchers. These standards were created in collaboration with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and other stakeholders to standardize SAR training across Canada.

Additionally, SARVAC has supported national training and data management through the National SARVAC/CSA GSAR Trainers Community website and eLearning platform. These resources facilitate collaboration, knowledge, and skill development among GSAR trainers and volunteers.

SARVAC provides National Accreditation and Certification for GSAR volunteers. To date, SARVAC has certified volunteers from Prince Edward Island Ground Search and Rescue and the Newfoundland Search and Rescue Association. After March 2024, SARVAC will be responsible for sustaining the certification program and additional PTs will be added to the search’s certification process.

Financial Resources

The SARVAC program is allocated an annual budget of $500,000 with an annual program maximum of $1 million per the Terms of Conditions. Any incremental funding above the annual budget is sourced from the SAR NIF program. SARVAC has consistently used their allocated contribution.

Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund

Prevention and Response Capabilities

The SAR NIF was established by the federal government in 1988. The SAR NIF provides annual funding to eligible recipients, including provincial, territorial, and local governments, Indigenous entities, Canadian organizations, and academic institutions involved in SAR. The SAR NIF supports projects that enhance both SAR response and prevention capabilities.

Over the evaluation period SAR NIF funded 62 projects, and key informants highlighted their contribution to improving SAR response and prevention. Of the 62 funded projects, 26 (42%) focused on prevention objectives. Almost half of these prevention projects were based in Ontario (42% of 26), followed by British Columbia with six projects (23%). Quebec and Newfoundland had two projects each (8%), while Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia and Nunavut each had one project (4%). Key activities conducted by these prevention projects included the development of educational materials, outreach campaigns, workshops and events for search and rescue. Half of the prevention projects supported ground SAR, while the remainder focused on marine SAR.

The Canadian Safe Boating Council received SAR NIF funding to improve water safety in the North by raising youth awareness, providing education, and promoting lifejacket use. The SAR NIF has also funded two SARVAC projects aimed at enhancing AdventureSmart public awareness and educational initiatives.

The SAR NIF funded the Newfoundland and Labrador Search and Rescue Association to acquire systems designed to enhance the technical helicopter rescue capabilities of certified GSAR teams. The funding has enabled Newfoundland’s helicopter rescue teams to reactivate and provide lifesaving resources to the people of Newfoundland, while reducing response times and promoting safety.

The remaining 36 (58%) SAR NIF funded projects addressed response objectives. Ontario had eight projects (22%), while Newfoundland, Manitoba, British Columbia each had five projects (14%). Quebec and Saskatchewan each had four projects (11%), Prince Edward Island had two projects (6%) and New Brunswick, Alberta and Yukon each had one project (3%). Most of the response projects focused on GSAR, mainly funding training, data management and equipment. The SAR NIF funding has enabled teams to respond more quickly and effectively in remote locations.

“Our GSAR teams are already trained and have access to equipment and resources that they didn’t have a number of years ago as result of SAR NIF funding.”

– SAR NIF External Partner

Collaboration

The SAR NIF has fostered collaboration within the SAR community with funded projects that have promoted and improved partnerships across all levels of the national SAR program. Large-scale projects such as Canadian Public Safety Operations Organization, a national nonprofit advancing public safety, have led to a high level of collaboration at the national level, while smaller projects have strengthened partnerships at the local level. Additionally, strong partnerships were observed within and beyond the SAR community, including between some volunteer groups and their local police of jurisdictions.

The Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue (ICSAR) is a senior level federal committee composed of representatives from various federal departments with SAR responsibilities. This interdepartmental collaboration enhances information sharing and operational coordination for SAR across Canada. Over the evaluation period, PS shared information with the ICSAR on completed SAR NIF projects and provided an overview of each project.

The SAR NIF Merit Board has also been instrumental in facilitating collaboration among SAR stakeholders. The board is comprised of representatives of the federal, provincial and territorial SAR authorities and the SAR volunteer sector. Notably, the Merit Board has facilitated discussions and relationship building between the representatives. Key informants suggested that an Indigenous representative be included on the Merit Board to enhance representation.

SARscene, a biennial event that brings together members of the SAR community from across Canada, has significantly contributed to partnership building and information sharing. The conference allows participants to enhance skills, exchange knowledge and best practices. The most recent SARscene conference took place in 2023 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Gender-Based Analysis (GBA Plus)

Over the past five years, there has been a significant shift toward enhancing the use of the GBA Plus lens when selecting projects. SAR NIF has taken into account certain vulnerable populations, including Indigenous peoples, seniors, persons with disabilities, youth and newcomers or immigrants during the design, implementation and delivery of the program. Notably, 19 of the 62 SAR NIF funded projects were designed to address the needs of traditionally under-represented groups such as Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and youth.

Indigenous SAR and Supporting SAR in Remote Areas were identified as priority areas in the most recent calls for proposals. In total, SAR NIF funded seven Indigenous SAR projects over the evaluation period. These projects were aimed at providing training to Indigenous communities, purchasing SAR equipment for Indigenous communities and educating Indigenous communities on SAR incidents.

The SAR NIF funded the Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers to develop and implement a plan to improve cultural awareness among GSAR volunteers, especially when working with First Nations communities.

With the aging population, dementia cases and missing person incidents are on the rise. The SAR NIF has funded the University of Waterloo to conduct dementia research and awareness as it relates to GSAR. This will aid volunteers in locating vulnerable individuals.

Communication

The application process for SAR NIF requires all applications to be submitted through the online portal on the PS website. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with a SAR NIF partner to ensure their proposal aligns with program and partner priorities. These consultations may result in a letter of support from the SAR NIF partner, which should be included with the funding application.

Key informants noted that the application timelines and deadlines were inconsistent, varying from 12 weeks to as little as six weeks. PS has improved the program by removing certain barriers, such as the requirement for a letter from a SAR partner (although a letter is highly encouraged), and providing additional supports, including a simplified application guide, the addition of information sessions, and lengthening the time for the calls of proposals to two months. These changes have led to an increase in the number of proposals received. Over the evaluation period, the number of proposals received decreased slightly between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 but tripled the following year. There was no call for proposals in 2023-2024 to accommodate the financial impacts of projects delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial Resources

The SAR NIF is allocated an annual budget of $7.6 million. An analysis of financial data showed that the SAR NIF lapsed funds each fiscal year. From 2019-2020 to 2023-2024, 12.8% of the planned budget was not spent. The disparity was attributed to low participation rates in 2019-2020 and 2020-21, delays in funding approval, overestimated budgets by recipients, and the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on project cycles from 2021-2022 to 2023-2024.

COSPAS-SARSAT

COSPAS-SARSAT has been credited with saving 63,745 lives internationally from 1982 to 2023, an average of approximately 1,000 per year, and 45 per year in Canada in the same time period. In some cases, the information provided through the COSPAS-SARSAT system was the only indication of distress received, and thus the only source of information for SAR responders.

The COSPAS-SARSAT system is an important tool for SAR operations. It allows approved beacons to transmit a distress signal from anywhere in the world through the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system to the appropriate joint rescue coordination center. The information is then sent to the local SAR responders to aid them in locating the missing user. There are three types of compatible beacons: one for use on an aircraft, another for use on a marine vessel; and the Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) which is designed to be carried by an individual. Other communication and satellite technology, such as smart phones or GPS devices, have a more limited range, reducing their usefulness in parts of Canada.

Through the COSPAS-SARSAT system, SAR services receive information about the detection of distress alerts more quickly than through other means, receive more accurate location data, and receive fewer false alerts by attempted contact with the beacon’s registered person or organization. A confirmation signal is also sent back to beacons with this capability to let the user know their message has been received. This system not only helps save lives, but also reduces the risks to SAR responders’ safety, and reduces the amount of time and resources needed to conduct the search.

The COSPAS-SARSAT Programme is considered a humanitarian service as the signal information is provided to local SAR responders regardless of whether the signal came from a country that contributes to the Programme or not, and the COSPAS-SARSAT services are provided at no charge to the user in distress. The only COSPAS-SARSAT-related cost to the user is the purchase of the approved beacon by the individual or organization.

PS’ Leadership Role

Canada is one of the four founding Parties of the COSPAS-SARSAT Programme, which also make up the COSPAS-SARSAT Council. Per the decision of the Council, each of the four Parties currently contributes $272,000 annually while each non-Party participant country contributes $68,000 annually (last updated in 2019). Canada shares a rotating leadership role with the other three Parties, who are responsible for a variety of activities, including the administration of the Program and liaising with system users, manufacturers, and international organizations.

PS is responsible for Canada’s annual COSPAS-SARSAT contribution amount which goes directly to the Programme and is used to fund the international COSPAS-SARSAT Secretariat.

Challenges

Within the NSS, there are unfilled positions in the COSPAS-SARSAT section which has led to overwork of existing staff. This understaffing poses the risk of technical errors and oversights. If not addressed, Canada’s international obligations could be impacted which in turn could affect Canada’s reputation, especially as the current Council Chair of the COSPAS-SARSAT Programme.

An additional challenge was identified in Canada concerning the ownership, use and registration rate of PLBs. The number of PLBs in Canada increased from 16,267 in 2021 to 22,113 in 2023, and the registration rate increased from 74% to 82%. While this is an improvement over previous years, 18% of PLBs are unregistered, meaning there remains a need to better communicate the importance of registering PLBs and other emergency beacons. Registration is important to assist SAR in confirming the validity of an alert notification and reducing the number of unnecessary deployments of search and rescue services.

Social and other forms of media are being used to communicate information about the COSPAS-SARSAT and PLBs by the International Programme but awareness of the importance of using and registering personal beacons needs to be increased in Canada. This could be an area of focus for future SAR NIF projects. Gaps remain in the use of beacons in remote, Arctic, and Indigenous communities, which may be in part due to cost. While a PLB can be purchased for as little as $300 with no additional cost during a normal 10 year battery life, the cost can be a barrier to their wider use in areas where they would be particularly beneficial.

Financial Resources

An analysis of financial data showed that the total amount provided to the COSPAS-SARSAT Programme each year by PS was $272,000, the required contribution amount.

Heavy Urban Search and Rescue

Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) is a specialized form of SAR which usually involves the locating, extrication, and stabilization of victims in urban environments, typically trapped because of structural collapse as a result of incidents such as earthquakes, tornadoes, and critical infrastructure failures. There are three levels of USAR, light, medium, and heavy, and the heavy USAR (HUSAR) teams are the most specialized and most able to be self-sufficient on longer deployments.

HUSAR Task Forces in Canada

There are six HUSAR task force teams in Canada, referred to as a Canadian Task Force (CANTF), of which four are fully deployable within their jurisdictions. Each CANTF is owned and operated by their respective province or municipality, and they are each managed and resourced in different ways. The four fully deployable CANTFs are:

• CANTF1 Vancouver which is administered by the city, and the majority of its members are city employees,
• CANTF2 Calgary which is administered by the city, and its members are volunteers employed in different emergency services in Calgary and the region,
• CANTF3 Toronto which is administered by the city and the majority of its members are city employees, and;
• CANTF4 Manitoba which is administered by the province through the Fire Commissioners Office. Members are volunteers from emergency services and partner organizations throughout Manitoba.

These four CANTFs also reported having enough members to be able to deploy a HUSAR team within their jurisdiction, which, among other requirements, necessitates having enough members to respond to the emergency while ensuring the city or province has sufficient first responders for their regular operating requirements.

The other two CANTFs are CANTF5 Halifax and CANTF6 Montreal. CANTF5 Halifax is administered by the city and the majority of its members are city employees. It lacks some of the capabilities required for HUSAR capacity status, but it has been making progress in achieving the necessary capabilities. CANTF6 Montreal is not yet operational but has been training members and taking part in training and exercises.

Each CANTF receives a share of $3.1 million in funding from PS which equates to 75% of the CANTF’s funding. The remaining 25% is the responsibility of the province or municipality.

Development of Tools for USAR Standardization and Accreditation in Canada

Over the timeframe of the evaluation, PS, the CANTFs, and other partners worked together to address the gaps CANTFs and other USAR teams are facing regarding Canada-wide standardization, accreditation, and inter-jurisdictional deployments. 

Unlike wildfire suppression teams in Canada, CANTFs do not have domestic deployment agreements allowing them to move between jurisdictions in Canada and to address interprovincial/territorial licensing (e.g. professional certification/registration done by province/territory) and indemnification (e.g. insurance coverage). In order to address this gap, the NSS and the six CANTFs collaborated to develop a national Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to have national standardization and capacity-building, as well as interoperability allowing CANTFs to work together easily. The inclusion of the Canadian Council of Emergency Management Organizations’ (CCEMO) Emergency Management Mutual Aid Arrangement (EMMA) into the CONOPS allowed CANTFs to reach those goals. The CONOPS document was finalized in 2023-2024 and shared with key players in emergency management at all levels of government. It was presented to the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management in July 2024 and ratified in August 2024.

“We’re on the right track with how we’re interacting, collaborating, [and] how we’ve set up working groups. [The task forces] are starting to do things the same way so when we are deployed together then things will be seamless.”

– HUSAR Partner

PS contracted a consulting group to help update the Canadian USAR classification guide, to identify gaps in the current national USAR system compared to International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) requirements, and provide guidance on how to establish a national accrediting process and national accrediting body. PS and the CANTFs worked together to create the National Accreditation Process (NAP) which will need to be officially recognized through the INSARAG Recognized National Accreditation Process (IRNAP).

As the HUSAR program is domestically focused, none of the CANTFs, nor any other USAR team in Canada, are eligible for international deployment certified by the INSARAG. Advancing the INSARAG Certification process domestically, for USAR teams in Canada has been a priority for PS, and recognition of Canada’s NAP through the IRNAP would place CANTFs in a position to address the future of the HUSAR program. While receiving INSARAG External Classification would advance teams’ ability to be available for international assistance, deployments outside of Canada are not within the current program’s scope.

The completion of Canada’s NAP and the accreditation of the CANTF teams is expected by 2028, following completion of a National Accreditation Body (projected Spring 2026), and receiving INSARAG certification of this accreditation body (projected Spring 2027).

CANTF Deployments

Over the timeframe of the evaluation, CANTFs have deployed or prepared for deployment to incidents in their cities or provinces, assisting in a number of situations (e.g. wildfires, floods, structural collapse) and in different roles (e.g. supporting or actively doing fire suppression, recovery of people, assisting in moving equipment). Several of the CANTFs assisted in COVID-19 pandemic response activities in their cities and provinces, including assisting with testing, transportation of equipment, and providing accommodations. Annual CANTF reports were not always clear about the number of deployments over the timeframe of the evaluation, nor the details of these deployments, a gap that should be addressed. 

CANTF Exercises and Training

All six CANTFs have participated in joint training and exercises since 2019, including in-person and online training, presentations, and webinars. While the restrictions on travel in 2020 and 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, disrupted the teams regular work and training, an increase in online learning activities helped to address the deficit. However, as with the information about deployments, there was a lack of clarity in the annual CANTF reports regarding how many exercises and what training were completed. It was evident though that the CANTFs performed many hours of training at their home bases/locations.

Most of the CANTFs participated in K9 training and annual certification at the Manitoba Emergency Services College which has a number of SAR-related training facilities. CANTFs have also sent members to other team’s facilities for training and certification, such as Incident Management Team training and rigging courses in Calgary. CANTFs took part in joint exercises including Exercise Coastal Response 2023, Exercise Okanagan Response 2023 in Penticton, and Exercise United 2024 at the K9 training center in Brandon, Manitoba.

Participation in international exercises and events are important to advance efforts toward an IRNAP-approved NAP, as well as receiving training that is not available in Canada. CANTFs have taken part in international training and exercises, mostly in the USA, including Exercise Shaken Fury 2019, which took place in Indiana, USA, and specialty training for CANTF HUSAR needs at high-level training centers in Indiana and Texas.  

Exercise Coastal Response 2023

Exercise Operation Coastal Response 2023 proved to be an important event for the PS HUSAR program and the CANTFs. All six CANTFs participated in the exercise, which was a large-scale exercise that provided opportunities to validate the interoperability of the CANTFs and their ability to deploy together, as well as giving the teams an opportunity to work together and get to know each other better. The aim of the exercise was to practice and test the integrated response of governments and partners in a catastrophic earthquake in British Columbia. The exercise benefited the CANTFs in a number of ways:

• CANTFs were involved in the testing of EMMA and studied EMMA in meetings and workshops in order to identify challenges and constraints that might occur during a mobilization.
• Other participants gained awareness of CANTFs and their capabilities and requirements.
• Gaps were identified in federal partners’ knowledge of the procedures required to mobilize the CANTFs through EMMA.
• The post-exercise report stated that the NSS should help key federal departments and services, and other partners, learn about HUSAR roles and deployment procedures using the HUSAR CONOPS.

Challenges

There were concerns raised by interviewees about the lack of governance structure for the overall HUSAR program which impacts the tasking and coordination of CANTFs during inter-provincial deployments, especially since each CANTF is managed differently by their city or province.

Insufficient funding by PS is a challenge to the CANTFs’ continued preparedness and ability to deploy, and without federal funding some CANTFs could not continue. The cost of purchasing, replacing, and maintaining equipment is high and made more so as a result of rising costs and increased demands for CANTF services and unchanged funding from PS.

There was a lack of clarity and consistency in available data about the number of deployments, exercises, and other training done by each CANTF. An examination of the annual CANTF reports to PS found a lack of consistency in how CANTFs reported their activities, while some activities were not reported at all. Some information about CANTF activities was gathered during interviews conducted as part of the evaluation but not reflected in annual reports. However, overall, reports did describe the dedication of members to their training and being preparation for deployments if necessary.  

Financial Resources

The HUSAR is allocated an annual budget of $3.1 million that is distributed equally between the six task forces. An analysis of financial data showed that HUSAR at PS lapsed funds over the timeframe of the evaluation. The program had approximately $620,000 in unspent funds between 2020-2021 and 2022-2023, which is attributed to some taskforces not using their full allocation, due to COVID-19 related restrictions and other issues.

Program Design

National Strategy

SAR in Canada operates through a multifaceted approach across municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal levels. Despite this network of partners, there is no evidence of an operational and aligned national strategy among marine, aeronautical, and ground SAR.

In particular, GSAR encounters significant difficulties due to siloed structures among the jurisdictions. With 13 PTs and over 1,000 organizations, GSAR is decentralized and lacking critical support and structures.

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) operates as the governance and main coordination arm of SAR, however it has faced staffing challenges including vacancies, reductions, and restructuring, resulting in ongoing difficulties.

The Public Inquiry respecting Ground Search and Rescue for Lost and Missing Persons in Newfoundland and Labrador in January 2021 and the Public Inquiry Respecting Ground Search and Rescue for Lost and Missing Persons in February 2023 both highlighted the existing silos of SAR. These reports emphasized the necessity to breakdown the structural silos of SAR with partners at all levels. Interviewees also observed these silos among federal SAR and GSAR.

In particular, working groups and committees were found to be difficult to navigate or absent for key informants. Without these proper governance structures there are difficulties in coordination. Improving relationships and collaboration would be beneficial.

PTs operate at different levels when it comes to SAR. The governance piece between federal and provincial responsibilities is needed, however some have noted the potential difficulties of having an operative and effective strategy as the federal reach into provinces is limited.

There has been some support for a national SAR strategy from key informants as the SAR programs currently operate within their own silos. Key informants suggested that a comprehensive National SAR Strategy, aligned with the needs of the SAR community, would enhance SAR across Canada. Two main features of a SAR National Strategy would be:

• Governance structures that break down silos; and
• Centralized SAR data.

SAR Data

Data sharing between partners is lacking. SAR data is an all-encompassing challenge with data collection occurring internally at local and regional levels, however SAR NIF programs reported gaps in data collection. When it comes to information sharing, difficulties arise among ownership, liability, and privacy concerns.

This siloed collection has frequently been identified through discussions with the Search and Rescue Incident Data Management System Advisory Group members, consultations with the SAR community, and with key informants during the evaluation.

“One of the things that we talked about, and I didn’t realize how desperate [GSAR] need some way to manage their data, it’s very difficult.”

– SAR NIF External Partner

With a decentralized governance structure and no national platform to collect and manage the data, there are limited options to share information. The SAR Incident Data Management project carried out with funding from the SAR NIF found that “100% of surveyed GSAR groups indicated that they would like a national SAR data standard established” as there is no database to capture, collect, and integrate existing SAR data from partners and stakeholders.

National SAR Framework

The National Search and Rescue Framework (NSARF) has been in development by the NSS to provide a national holistic model of SAR and define the roles and responsibilities of various levels of government and key stakeholders. The draft of the NSARF was endorsed by the ICSAR on May 3, 2023.

An update to the ICSAR was provided in October 2024, and reflected the input received from 12 out of 13 PTs. PS is in the process of obtaining ministerial approval and publishing the framework. Several interviewees were aware and supportive of the work surrounding NSARF. The ongoing efforts to produce a national perspective and system is considered to be valuable to the SAR community.

The purpose of the NSARF is: 

• Data Collection: capture and document the current state of a national SAR program.
• Governance: share information among partners to collaborate.
• Integration: use framework to do necessary improvements to SA.

Conclusion

Given Canada’s size and geography, SAR is a shared responsibility between federal, provincial, territorial governments, as well as partners including volunteer associations, municipal policing, Indigenous communities, various non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. PS’ roles for SAR align with its emergency management responsibilities. PS is responsible for the coordination of SAR policies and programs between all SAR partners in Canada, and funds, through Gs&Cs, activities which support and improve SAR. The five SAR programs led by PS individually understand and fulfill their roles, but overall direction and governance remains inadequate.

Only four provinces made use of the WCP despite its availability to all PTs. Reliance on residual funding at PS creates sustainability concerns for the WCP.

The SARVAC Contribution Program provides a national governance to GSAR volunteers, leading to improved SAR response and incident prevention. There remain challenges with insufficient communication between SARVAC and PTs, and a lack of long-term insurance coverage for volunteers.

The SAR NIF contributed to enhancing SAR response and prevention through funding for 62 projects and also fostered collaboration within the SAR community. While barriers to applying to the program have been removed to enhance participation, concerns remain regarding inconsistent application deadlines.

PS is Canada’s representative in the COSPAS-SARSAT Programme and Council, and the COSPAS-SARSAT system plays an important role in SAR. The system is used to help find users of approved beacons worldwide, which can reduce the time and resources spent in conducting searches, however, more needs to be done to increase the rate of registration of beacons in Canada.

The HUSAR program has reached a number of key goals in its work toward national accreditation of USAR teams, and the development of the CONOPS. The six CANTFs have played an important role in this work and have participated together in many HUSAR-related activities, including training and exercises. A governance structure that allows for the coordination of CANTFs when deployed would benefit the program, as would improved and consistent reporting by CANTFs about their activities.

GSAR’s role is spread across 13 PTs and over 1,000 organizations creating decentralized and siloed structures within jurisdictions. There is no national data repository/system currently and a centralized database is critical to accurately comprehend SAR incidents occurring across the country. Visualizing SAR through data will help to paint a picture to better advise response efforts and address where more prevention activities are needed. Without the proper data and collaboration, SAR will remain unclear on general and national goals. The development and ongoing work of the NSARF strives to provide SAR with a comprehensive national model for all partners.

Recommendations

The Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Management Branch and the Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Branch should:

1. Strengthen the strategic policy suite for Canada’s SAR system, including addressing gaps in overall direction and governance of SAR policies and programs; and clarifying and communicating SAR objectives and national priority areas.
2. Provide a structured approach to assessing, monitoring, and improving the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of PS’ SAR activities and programs. This could include: defining performance indicators; providing measurable data to support decision making; and providing a means to track progress over time (benchmarking).
3. Explore solutions to provide adequate supports for SAR volunteers who may be injured in carrying out their duties, including insurance coverage options.
4. Continue to support national accreditation of USAR teams and the elements needed for interprovincial deployment and eventual international accreditation of the CANTFs.
5. Create an increased awareness among Canadians of the COSPAS-SARSAT system.

Management Action Plan

Date modified:

2025-08-22