Province commits to search and rescue funding

The B.C. government has made a committment to long awaited annual funding to search and rescue crews in the province.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the government will provide six million dollars a year starting in 2022-23 to help support the work of the province’s 2,500 search and rescue volunteers.

“B.C.’s ground search and rescue groups have been calling for long-term, sustainable funding, and we’ve worked with them to meet this need,” Farnworth said. “But funding is only one way to show our support. Search and rescue volunteers take a risk every time they go out to rescue someone, and that risk is heightened due to COVID 19. I’m calling on all British Columbians to be safe and to make sure your family, friends and neighbours are being safe, so we can reduce the risks for everyone.”

Since January, the search teams have responded to more than 700 calls throughout the province.