Supporting Squamish Search and Rescue: A Lifeline for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Squamish Search and Rescue (SSAR) plays an essential role in ensuring the safety of residents and visitors exploring the breathtaking backcountry of Squamish. This dedicated team of volunteers specializes in mountain rescues, swift-water operations, and wilderness survival, making them a vital resource for our outdoor-loving community. Supporting SSAR helps ensure they have the tools, training, and resources needed to respond to emergencies and save lives. Whether you’re an adventurer or a local community member, your contribution directly impacts the safety and well-being of everyone who enjoys this stunning region.

Phase 1 of our New Squamish Search and Rescue Compound

Fall 2025 Update

If you’ve driven past the Squamish airport recently, you will have seen that exciting progress has been made on phase one of the new Squamish Search and Rescue (SAR) compound! In September, all of the pre-construction work was completed and the building permit was approved. Construction began immediately after.  The current total forecasted cost is $3,800,000 for phase one.

Funding sources for this first phase include the District of Squamish, SLRD, Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, and Squamish Search and Rescue fundraising and investment efforts.

We are grateful for the generous community partners who have contributed over $600,000 in-kind to date. 

In August, the building arrived in several parts and has been placed on-site. We’re making significant progress, and the next steps include installing the steel building and burying the fire suppression tank in December, pouring the slab in January, and fitting out the building in spring for a target move-in date of mid-May, 2026.

Stay tuned for more updates!

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March 2025 Update

We have some exciting news to share!

Something we’ve been working on behind the scenes for a long time. It has been our biggest undertaking yet, and we’re thrilled to finally announce it: we are building a new Squamish Search and Rescue Base!

We’ve been working closely with the District of Squamish, who have been instrumental in supporting our efforts from the very beginning. Their guidance and commitment helped us find the right land to build our new home, and we are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support. 

This project has been years in the making, with planning starting back in 2019. After searching for the right location, we were officially confirmed for the airport site in December 2023. Since then, we’ve been hard at work, conducting environmental analysis, securing plans, and preparing for the next steps. 

Last month, we took a major leap forward and began clearing the lot. Our current lease ends in July 2026 and we will be moving into the first phase of our Base in spring 2026. The first phase will allow for critical operations to take place and phase 2 will enhance training capabilities and future-proof our facility. There is still a long road ahead, but we couldn’t be more excited to share this journey with you. 

The support from our community has been incredible, and we are so grateful for the businesses that have so far stepped up to donate their expertise and to make this project a reality: 

• Blue Water Concepts Ltd. 
• Bunbury & Associates Land Surveying Ltd. 
• Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd. 
• Chartwell Resource Group C
• oast Valley Contracting Ltd. 
• Corporate Electric Limited 
• District of Squamish 
• Frontera Geotechnical 
• Garibaldi Graphics 
• ISL Engineering and Land Services 
• JR Transport 
• Naikoon Contracting Ltd. 
• Oceanview Forest Products 
• PBX Engineering Ltd. 
• Silverback Treeworks Ltd. 
• Stephane Laroye Architect Inc. (SLA) 
• West-Barr Contracting Ltd. 
• Whistler Excavations Ltd. 

As we move forward, we know this project will take a collective effort. If you or your business would like to be part of this incredible journey—whether through expertise, in-kind contributions, or financial support—we’d love to connect. Every contribution, big or small, helps us build a stronger, more resilient Squamish Search and Rescue for the future. We’ll be sharing updates along the way and hope you’ll follow along as we bring this vision to life!

Ways to Get Involved
Support SSAR by contributing in a way that suits you best. Financial and in kind donations help provide critical rescue equipment, ongoing volunteer training, and operational readiness. You can also make a difference by signing up for regular updates via the SSAR newsletter to stay informed about the new base, rescues, training and upcoming events.

Stay connected and show your support by following SSAR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news and updates.Phase