BC Search and Rescue Association

Name

BC Search and Rescue Association

Legal name

BC Search and Rescue Association

Website

https://bcsara.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Search and Rescue Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ), Search & Rescue (SAR) & Technical Rescue Training (EDAOAMAI)

Keywords

• Volunteer search rescue
• Ground search rescue
• Outdoor safety education
• SAR prevention programs
• Wilderness emergency response

Headquarters

HQ city

Sidney

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization accepts donations from the public through various channels including direct mail, online platforms, cryptocurrency, and endowment funds through Victoria Foundation and Vancouver Foundation
2. Government Funding: BCSARA receives provincial government funding to support 78 GSAR groups with training, equipment, and operational costs. In 2019, the largest single funding grant was announced for 80 recognized groups.
3. BC Gaming Grants: BC Gaming grants support SAR group infrastructure, equipment purchases, and operational needs

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BCSARA represents 78 ground search and rescue (GSAR) groups across British Columbia and coordinates free 24/7 volunteer-led search and rescue services delivered by 3,200+ trained unpaid volunteers. The organization also delivers the BC AdventureSmart outdoor safety education and prevention program, supporting volunteer groups with training, equipment funding, and mental health (CISM) services.

Product overview

The BC Search and Rescue Association operates a portfolio of volunteer emergency services and public safety programs. The core offering is Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) provided by 78 volunteer groups with 3,200 trained volunteers responding to approximately 1,960 incidents annually. BCSARA's primary prevention product is the BC AdventureSmart program, which delivers outdoor safety education through multiple sub-programs including Survive Outside, Hug a Tree and Survive, and Snow Safety Education. Supporting services include a Trip Plan mobile app, the Adventure Hub online resource database, expert webinar series, a podcast (Good Chats), mental health support through CISM, volunteer recognition programs, and merchandise sales. The organization does not offer a commercial software product but provides free public safety tools and educational resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BC AdventureSmart: Outdoor safety education and prevention program created by BCSARA to help reduce the number and severity of SAR incidents. Programs include Survive Outside, Snow Safety Education, and Hug a Tree and Survive.
• John MacGregor Memorial Award

Products and services

• Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) Services Volunteer-led ground search and rescue operations across British Columbia, provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by 3,200 unpaid professional volunteers organized into 78 GSAR groups covering the entire province.
• BC AdventureSmart Program Provincial outdoor safety education and prevention program teaching the Three Ts (Trip Plan, Train, Take the Essentials) to reduce the number and severity of SAR incidents among outdoor recreationists in British Columbia.
• AdventureSmart Trip Plan App Free mobile application that allows outdoor users to share their trip route and expected return time with emergency contacts for improved outdoor safety.
• Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Mental health support service for SAR volunteers and their family members to manage the psychological impact of search and rescue operations.
• Expert Webinar Series Online educational webinars featuring field experts covering seasonal outdoor safety topics, SAR prevention, and preparedness for outdoor enthusiasts.
• Good Chats Podcast Podcast series discussing outdoor safety, SAR topics, and wilderness preparedness for the BC outdoor community.
• Adventure Hub Free online custom database platform for outdoor enthusiasts in British Columbia to explore new recreation opportunities and access safety information.
• John MacGregor Memorial Award Annual award program established in 2021 that recognizes exceptional actions during emergency response and outstanding commitment to safety within the BC SAR community.
• BCSARA Merchandise Store Online retail store selling BCSARA-branded apparel and accessories to support fundraising and awareness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of subjects found or rescued within first 24 hours of activation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Shore RescuecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Partner in the Know Before You SNOW winter safety campaign. North Shore Rescue provides expertise on winter response realities and reinforces winter preparedness messaging.
• Avalanche CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Partner in the Know Before You SNOW winter safety campaign, providing avalanche safety expertise and promoting backcountry safety awareness.
• Grouse Mountain, Mt. Seymour, Cypress MountaincoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 October 2025Ski area partners amplifying the Alpine Responsibility Code and promoting safety messages about in-bounds vs. out-of-bounds terrain.
• Metro Vancouver and BC ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 October 2025Land managers promoting advisories, closures, and regional winter travel tips as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
• Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 October 2025Amplifying winter safety messages across healthcare channels as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
• West Vancouver Schools and North Vancouver School DistrictminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 October 2025Promoting Snow Safety Education to students through school districts as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
• North Shore Tourism AssociationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 October 2025Amplifying winter safety messages across tourism channels as part of the Know Before You SNOW campaign.
• Emergency Management BC (EMBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMBC is a key provincial government partner that works with BCSARA on funding, training standards, operational coordination, and the Alternative Support Model for SAR. BCSARA and EMBC jointly fund initiatives including first aid training, rope rescue programs, and swiftwater rescue standards.
• Victoria FoundationminorOthersAccepts donations on behalf of BCSARA through endowment funds, including the John MacGregor Memorial Award Fund.
• Vancouver FoundationminorOthersAccepts donations through endowment funds to provide lasting legacy for BC search and rescue community.
• CanadaHelpsminorOthersOnline donation platform partner that processes credit card donations and cryptocurrency contributions for BCSARA. Tax receipts issued through CanadaHelps.
• Justice Institute of BC (JIBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner providing rope rescue and swiftwater rescue instruction and curriculum development for BC SAR volunteers.
• RCMP and Municipal PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRequesting agencies for SAR activations. BCSARA works with police services as the primary agencies responsible for lost and missing persons.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alberta Search and Rescue Association: Provincial counterpart to BCSARA representing volunteer ground search and rescue groups in Alberta. Directly comparable as a non-profit society that advocates for SAR volunteers, distributes government and gaming grants, and runs public safety education programs within its province.
• AdventureSmart (National): National outdoor safety education program that originated as BC AdventureSmart (a BCSARA initiative launched in 2004 and expanded nationally in 2009). Directly comparable as a prevention and public education offering, though now operating at national scale beyond BCSARA's direct governance.
• Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC): National umbrella association representing volunteer SAR organizations across Canada. SARVAC is the most direct peer to BCSARA — both advocate for unpaid volunteer SAR groups, coordinate with government on funding and training standards, and deliver prevention programming, but at the national level rather than provincial.
• Ontario Search and Rescue Association: Provincial volunteer SAR association in Ontario serving a similar advocacy, funding-distribution, and prevention-education role for its member groups. Comparable in mission, structure, and reliance on provincial government and gaming funding.

Emerging players

• North Shore Rescue: One of the 78 GSAR groups represented by BCSARA and a strategic partner on the Know Before You SNOW campaign. Comparable as a volunteer ground SAR team in BC delivering technical rescue (including winter/avalanche response), though at the group level rather than the provincial coordinating body.
• Avalanche Canada: National non-profit delivering avalanche safety forecasting, education, and public warnings — a closely related outdoor safety mission that overlaps with BCSARA's Snow Safety Education program and partners on the Know Before You SNOW campaign. Comparable in volunteer/non-profit structure and grant-dependent funding model.

Others

• National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS): Federal government body that funds SAR volunteer initiatives via the New Initiatives Fund (NIF), which has historically supported BCSARA's swiftwater rescue standards and rope rescue programs. Comparable as a funder/regulator rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• St. John Ambulance: National volunteer-based charitable organization providing first-aid training, emergency response, and community safety services. Comparable as a volunteer-led public safety non-profit with training programs and government/foundation funding, though its mandate is broader and operates across multiple provinces.
• Canadian Red Cross: Large national humanitarian organization that delivers emergency response, disaster relief, and first-aid training across Canada. Comparable in its volunteer-driven emergency services and donation/grants funding model, but operates at far greater scale and across a much broader portfolio than BCSARA's focused SAR mandate.

Regional players

• BC Adventure Centre / Outdoor Recreation Council of BC: BC-based non-profit coalition representing outdoor recreation user groups, with overlapping public-safety and outdoor education mission. Comparable as a regional non-profit working on outdoor recreation policy and education in BC, though focused on recreation access rather than emergency response.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BCSARAssoc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCWE7kmjMLX2oINWP8T-g1g
• Facebookfacebook.com/BCSARAssoc
• Instagraminstagram.com/bcsarassoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bc-search-and-rescue-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BC Search and Rescue Association