The National Search and Rescue Program (NSP) is a Canadian federal government initiative which coordinates the development of public policy for the provision of search and rescue services.

The primary goal of the National Search and Rescue Program is to save lives at risk throughout Canada. This national program involves federal departments, volunteers, organizations, municipalities, provinces and territories, working together to provide this service.

"Search and Rescue comprises the search for, and the provision of aid to, persons, ships or other craft which are, or are feared to be, in distress or imminent danger."

Organizational Structure

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The Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR) in the Government of Canada is the Minister of National Defence. Responsibilities are broken down within the federal government as follows:

• The Department of National Defence is the lead ministry responsible for providing and coordinating SAR response. This is accomplished through the air force, which operates 3 Joint Rescue Coordination Centres (JRCCs) as well as various dedicated SAR squadrons of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

• The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, through the Canadian Coast Guard, is tasked with providing vessels to respond to all maritime emergencies occurring in federal waters (all ocean waters on Canada's 3 coasts, plus the Great Lakes and Lake Winnipeg). Coast Guard personnel also help Canadian Forces personnel staff the 3 JRCC's (Joint Rescue and Co-Ordination Centres) and they exclusively staff 2 Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs).

The Three JRCC's are:

JRCC Trenton, ON; JRCC Halifax, NS; JRCC Victoria, BC

The Two MRSC's are:

MRSC Quebec, QC; MRSC St. John's, NF

Provision of SAR services in Canada is broken down as follows:

Air Resources

The Canadian Forces (Air Command) and CASARA (Civil Air Search And Rescue Association) provide air resources for SAR incidents under federal jurisdiction (aircraft incidents and all marine incidents in waters under federal jurisdiction, which includes the Great Lakes). Primary SAR squadrons are based at CFB Gander, CFB Greenwood, CFB Trenton and CFB Comox. Air Command bases additional SAR aircraft near major air force bases and population centres.

Marine Resources

The Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary provide primary marine resources.

Land Resources

• Parks Canada provides search and rescue services within national parks, national marine conservation areas, national park reserves, national historic sites and historic canals.

• Outside national parks, the police force having jurisdiction responds to SAR incidents, in most of rural Canada, and some urban areas this is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) (except Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland) within urban centres the local municipal police force would respond.

• The Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary respond to SAR incidents in Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland respectively.

• Volunteer search and rescue organizations frequently assist the primary agency responding by providing the large amount of manpower necessary for a search as well as specialized expertise, equipment, and local knowledge.

National SAR Secretariat

Following the Ocean Ranger disaster, one of the key recommendations resulting from the Royal Commission of Inquiry was that a national coordinating authority be established.

The National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) is an independent agency of government, reporting to the LMSAR, and supports and promotes the activities of the National SAR Program (NSP) as a means to achieve highly effective and economically responsible search and rescue programs throughout Canada.

Government of Canada