Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais - Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR)

What Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais - Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR) does

Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais – Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR) is a federally incorporated, 100% volunteer-based charitable organization founded in 1996 and registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (#890983299RR0001). It delivers 24/7/365 ground search and rescue (GSAR) response across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec at the request of police authorities, municipal emergency services, and park wardens. The organization maintains a 250+ member volunteer force trained in GSAR techniques, GPS/map/compass navigation, wilderness first aid, human tracking, search management, Incident Command System (ICS), and radio communications, supported by a 24/7 Dispatch Team that uses robocall, SMS, telephone, and amateur radio to mobilize responders. Specialty teams in Canine, Tracking, Mountain Bike, First Aid, Logistics, and Training extend its operational capability.

Beyond reactive SAR, SBO-OVSAR runs the Adventure Smart public education sub-brand — Hug-a-Tree, Survive Outside, and Snow Safety — delivering 125+ programs annually to schools and community groups, and offers a recurring 50-hour Basic Search and Rescue (BSAR) certification course aligned to CSA Z1620-15 standards. The organization's funding model is donation-driven: charitable contributions, $100 annual membership fees, $250 BSAR course tuition, corporate sponsorships (Land Rover Ottawa, MEC, Lafarge Canada, net2phone Canada, Canada Aviation and Space Museum), and member self-funding of over $500,000 since 2010. It holds dual membership in OSARVA (Ontario) and AQBRS (Québec District 7), giving it unique cross-provincial SAR coverage.

Name

Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais - Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR)

Legal name

Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais – Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR)

Website

https://sbo-ovsar.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SBO-OVSAR is a federally incorporated Canadian charity that deploys 250+ trained volunteer searchers 24/7 across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec in response to police and emergency authority requests, and runs Adventure Smart public outdoor safety programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Search and Rescue Services

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAAAA

Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief

SECONDARYHLAJAGAJ

Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Emergency Preparedness, Disaster Response & EMS Coordination

SECONDARYEDAOAMAI

Search & Rescue (SAR) & Technical Rescue Training

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Protective Services & Public Safety Training

Keywords

• Ground search rescue
• Volunteer emergency services
• Wilderness first aid
• Outdoor safety education
• Incident command response

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: SBO-OVSAR is a federally incorporated charitable organization registered with Canada Revenue Agency (#890983299RR0001). Donations support operational activities including vehicles, fuel, navigation tools, communication equipment, and first aid supplies.
2. Volunteer Contributions: Members contribute their own funds (over $500,000 since 2010) and dedicate over 72,000 volunteer hours to serve the community.
3. Membership Fees: $100 annual membership fee that largely covers liability insurance. $250 BSAR course tuition for training new members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SBO-OVSAR is a federally incorporated charitable organization that deploys 250+ trained volunteers to provide 24/7 ground search and rescue (GSAR) operations across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec upon request from police authorities and emergency services. The organization supplements its SAR operations with an Incident Management Team, multiple specialty teams (Canine, Tracking, Mountain Bike, First Aid, Logistics, Training), the Basic Search and Rescue (BSAR) certification course, and Adventure Smart public education programs (Hug-a-Tree, Survive Outside, Snow Safety).

Product overview

SBO-OVSAR operates as a volunteer-based, federally incorporated charitable organization providing ground search and rescue services across Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. The organization functions as a unified service delivery model centered on its core GSAR operations, supported by an Incident Management Team for search coordination, specialty teams (Logistics, First Aid, Canine, Tracking, Mountain Bike, Training) for specialized capabilities, and public education programs (Adventure Smart). Core services are delivered through a 24/7 Dispatch Team using automated robocall, SMS, phone, and amateur radio communication. The BSAR Training Course serves both as an internal capability builder and an external training product aligned with CSA and provincial standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Adventure Smart: Public education programs including Hug-a-Tree (for children), Survive Outside (for adults), and Snow Safety (for children 10-12 years old).
• Hug-a-Tree
• Survive Outside
• Snow Safety
• Basic Search and Rescue (BSAR) Course

Products and services

• Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) Services
• Search Management Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 32 incidents per year since 2010
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association (OSARVA)coreOthersSBO-OVSAR is a member of OSARVA, the coordinating body of SAR teams in the province of Ontario. Provides provincial coordination, standards alignment, and represents Eastern Ontario region.
• L'Association Québécois des Bénévoles en Recherche et Sauvetage (AQBRS)coreOthersSBO-OVSAR is a member of AQBRS, the coordinating body of SAR teams in the province of Québec. Provides provincial coordination for Western Quebec District 7 (Outaouais) operations.
• Canada Aviation and Space MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner providing support to SBO-OVSAR operations and visibility through museum association.
• Land Rover Ottawa dealershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business partner providing support to SBO-OVSAR through vehicle donations or sponsorship.
• Mountain Equipment Company (MEC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor equipment retailer providing support through product donations or discounts for SAR operations.
• La Cité collégiale - 911 InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner providing training support and collaboration, particularly related to emergency services programs.
• Lafarge Canada Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConstruction materials company providing community support and sponsorship to SBO-OVSAR operations.
• Sunshine Maintenance (Division of Sunshine Snow Service Inc.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal service business providing operational support to SBO-OVSAR through donations or in-kind services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• L'Association Québécois des Bénévoles en Recherche et Sauvetage (AQBRS): Provincial coordinating body for volunteer SAR teams in Quebec, also a member organization for SBO-OVSAR. Comparable as the equivalent Quebec-side coordinating body supporting volunteer ground SAR standards and operations.
• Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association (OSARVA): Provincial coordinating body for volunteer SAR teams in Ontario, of which SBO-OVSAR is a member. Comparable as the umbrella organization aligning standards, training, and incident response across volunteer ground SAR units in the same province.
• Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC): National coordinating body for volunteer SAR in Canada. Comparable as the federal-level umbrella that supports the same volunteer ground SAR model SBO-OVSAR operates within.
• AdventureSmart (National Program): National outdoor safety and prevention program administered through the Canadian SAR authorities, of which SBO-OVSAR's Hug-a-Tree, Survive Outside, and Snow Safety are local program chapters. Comparable as the parent program for the public education services SBO-OVSAR delivers.

Direct peers

• Halifax Search and Rescue: Volunteer ground search and rescue team operating in Nova Scotia. Comparable as a peer volunteer SAR organization responding to police tasking in eastern Canada, with similar wilderness and urban search responsibilities.
• Winnipeg Search and Rescue Association: Volunteer SAR organization serving the Winnipeg area and Manitoba. Comparable as a peer provincial volunteer SAR unit activated by police services for missing person and wilderness incidents.
• North Shore Rescue: Volunteer-based ground search and rescue team serving British Columbia's North Shore mountains. Highly comparable as a similarly structured, volunteer-led, federally/regionally recognized SAR organization specializing in wilderness ground search with canine and technical rescue capabilities.
• Georgian Bay Volunteer Search and Rescue: Volunteer SAR organization serving the Georgian Bay region of Ontario. Comparable as a fellow Ontario-based volunteer ground SAR unit under the OSARVA umbrella with similar provincial standards and training.
• Coquitlam Search and Rescue: Volunteer SAR society serving Metro Vancouver and the surrounding areas of British Columbia. Comparable as a peer volunteer ground SAR unit activated by police authorities, with similar training standards and incident-command-based deployments.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Red Cross: Major humanitarian organization with Canadian operations in disaster response, emergency management, and volunteer mobilization. Comparable as a broader incumbent providing overlapping emergency response, training, and public education services that complement volunteer SAR efforts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sbo_ovsar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Sbo-ovsarCa
• Facebookfacebook.com/SBO.OVSAR
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbo_ovsar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbo-ovsar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Sauvetage Bénévole Outaouais - Ottawa Volunteer Search and Rescue (SBO-OVSAR)