page_title: Search and rescue
section_title: Canada
hierarchical_section_title: Search and rescue / By nation / Canada
caption_attribution_description: A Canadian Forces CH-146 Griffon
context_page_description: Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search is conducted over. These include mountain rescue; ground search and rescue, including the use of search and rescue dogs; urban search and rescue in cities; combat search and rescue on the battlefield and air-sea rescue over water.
  International Search and Rescue Advisory Group is a UN organization that promotes the exchange of information between national urban search and rescue organizations. The duty to render assistance is covered by Article 98 of the UNCLOS.
context_section_description: Air and marine Search and rescue duties in Canada are the responsibility of the Canadian Forces and Canadian Coast Guard in conjunction with volunteer organizations. The Department of National Defence (DND) has overall responsibility for the coordinated search and rescue system. SAR operations are organized by Joint Rescue Coordination Centres (JRCC). The JRCC are manned 24 hours a day by SAR Co-ordinators from the Canadian Coast Guard and Canadian Forces. Authority for the provision of maritime SAR  is assigned to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans by the Canada Shipping Act and the Canada Oceans Act. Ground and inland water search and rescue (GSAR) is the responsibility of provinces and territories with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and other police forces coordinating operations, often using volunteer GSAR teams operating in specific areas under provincial coordinating bodies.
  The Canada Shipping Act, most recently passed in 2001, is the framework document that funds international SAR activities.
  The Canadian Forces have five assigned SAR squadrons:
  103 Search and Rescue Squadron, CFB Gander, CH-149 Cormorant
  413 Transport and Rescue Squadron, CFB Greenwood, CH-149 Cormorant & CC-130 Hercules
  424 Transport and Rescue Squadron, CFB Trenton, CH-146 Griffon & CC-130 Hercules
  435 Transport and Rescue Squadron, CFB Winnipeg, CC-130 Hercules
  442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, CFB Comox, CH-149 Cormorant & CC-115 Buffalo
  Plus three Combat Support Squadrons with SAR roles:
  417 Combat Support Squadron, CFB Cold Lake, CH-146 Griffon
  439 Combat Support Squadron, CFB Bagotville, CH-146 Griffon
  444 Combat Support Squadron, CFB Goose Bay, CH-146 Griffon
  Some municipalities and provinces have their own SAR units:
  Halton Regional Police Service Marine Unit - using marine craft on Lake Ontario
  Toronto Police Service Marine Unit - using marine craft on Lake Ontario
  Peel Regional Police Marine Unit - using marine craft on Lake Ontario and rivers in Peel Region
  Ontario Provincial Police Marine Unit - using marine craft on Great Lakes (excluding Lake Michigan) and Georgian Bay
  Durham Regional Police Marine Unit - using marine craft on Lake Ontario and lakes within Durham Region
  York Regional Police Marine Unit - using marine craft on Lake Simcoe
  Niagara Regional Police Marine Unit - using marine craft on Niagara River and Lake Ontario
  Vancouver Police Department - using marine craft on waterways around the City of Vancouver
  Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (Toronto) - using land base equipment
  Brockville Police Service Marine Patrol Unit - using a boat on the St. Lawrence River
  There are also volunteer non-profit associations that conduct SAR in Canada:
  British Columbia, there are 80 community based volunteer Groups in B.C. providing GSAR services within assigned areas in conjunction with Police, ambulance and other agencies. The GSAR Groups are represented by the British Columbia Search and Rescue Association
  Alberta / BC Cave Rescue, Alberta/British Columbia
  Canada Task Force 2, Alberta
  Civil Air Search and Rescue Association
  ERT Search and Rescue
  Grande Prairie Technical Search and Rescue Association, Alberta
  Halifax Regional Search and Rescue - Nova Scotia
  North Shore Rescue, British Columbia.
  Pincher Creek Search and Rescue, Alberta
  Québec Secours, Québec.
  River Valley Ground Search and Rescue, New Brunswick
  Roberts Bank Lifeboat - Delta, BC
  Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCM SAR)
  Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais - Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue - Ottawa, ON and Gatineau, QC
  Search and Rescue Manitoba (SARMAN), Manitoba
  Vancouver Urban Search and Rescue (Canadian Task Force One), British Columbia
  York Sunbury Search & Rescue - New Brunswick
caption: CH-146 Griffon in SAR markings
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