EDMONTON, AB, Oct. 9, 2026 /CNW/ -- When disaster strikes a community, Canadians come together to help their neighbours—even those thousands of kilometers away. Albertans saw that support after the devastating wildfires in Fort McMurray and Jasper, when people across the country contributed to Canadian Red Cross fundraising appeals to help families through the crisis and into recovery.

Across Alberta and throughout the country, Canadians know that when their community needs assistance with emergency response and recovery, there are trained emergency responders who are ready to be deployed when local resources are stretched. Through the Humanitarian Workforce Program, the federal government helps organizations like the Canadian Red Cross maintain a skilled workforce ready to bolster provincial and territorial emergency responses to major natural disasters, and other emergency events.

Today, the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, announced more than $15.6 million through the Humanitarian Workforce Program to strengthen the Canadian Red Cross's readiness to respond when disasters occur. In May 2026, the Government renewed the Humanitarian Workforce Program and committed $108 million to strengthen Canada's disaster response capacity. Today's investment is the first project announced as part of that renewal, and additional projects will follow.

The importance of the Red Cross' response capacity was demonstrated this summer in many parts of the country, including in British Columbia. As part of the response, the Canadian Red Cross helped prepare the Vernon Cadet Training Centre to be ready to receive wildfire evacuees if needed, bringing together federal resources and humanitarian expertise in support of provincial wildfire response.

The funding announced today will help the Canadian Red Cross maintain a highly trained and scalable workforce that can deploy quickly to support provinces and territories during large-scale emergencies and natural disasters. These response teams provide critical services, including operating reception and evacuation centres, registering evacuees, distributing emergency supplies, and connecting people with recovery and mental health support. This investment will also enhance coordination and partnerships with remote and Indigenous communities, helping incorporate lessons learned from recent disasters seasons.

By investing in building capacity before the next disaster strikes, the federal government is working to ensure that communities can draw on support from across the country—and that willingness to step up to help is backed by people trained and ready to respond.

Quotes

"Here in Alberta, we have seen how Canadians have come together to help one another in times of crisis. From the experience of the Fort McMurray and Jasper wildfires, we know that we are stronger when we are united to face these challenges together. Funding from our government through the Humanitarian Workforce Program is helping the Canadian Red Cross train personnel who are ready to deliver meaningful support where and when it is needed most, turning Canadian values into meaningful action on the ground."

- The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada

"Emergencies can happen at any time, and having the right resources in place can make all the difference in providing essential support when people need it most. This investment will help the Canadian Red Cross strengthen and sustain a skilled and ready humanitarian workforce that can quickly mobilize to support communities affected by large-scale emergencies. We are grateful for the Government of Canada's continued partnership as we work together to ensure Canadians receive compassionate, timely, and coordinated support before, during and after emergencies." 

- Melanie Soler, Vice President, Emergency Management, Canadian Red Cross 

Quick Facts

• The Humanitarian Workforce Program has funded the emergency response teams of five non‑governmental organizations: the Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC), St. John Ambulance, and Team Rubicon Canada. Together, these organizations provide surge capacity during major emergencies and support readiness and response activities across Canada.
• Since its inception, the Government of Canada has committed $366 million through the Humanitarian Workforce Program, including $108 million over three years announced earlier this year to renew the program and support eligible non-governmental organizations in maintaining a highly trained, scalable civilian workforce that can be rapidly deployed at the request of provinces and territories during large-scale emergencies.
• The Government of Canada is strengthening Canada's preparedness for and resilience to emergencies through several initiatives and investments, including:
  • completing the new Parks Canada National Fire Equipment Cache located in Banff National Park made possible through a federal investment of $34.6 million. The facility serves as a national hub and equipment storage location for specialized wildfire management equipment and will strengthen Parks Canada's capacity to prepare for, respond to, and support wildfire operations across the country;
  • investing $316.7 million to lease 10 new wildfire firefighting aircraft to strengthen Canada's ability to respond to wildfires;
  • matching eligible donations made to Canadian Red Cross appeals supporting flood and wildfire recovery efforts;
  • investing $3 million over three years in the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada to support approximately 10,000 Ground Search and Rescue volunteers across Canada; and
  • investing $2.86 million through the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF) to support seven projects that strengthen search and rescue training, volunteer capacity, coordination, prevention, and response capabilities across Canada.

Associated Links

• Humanitarian Workforce Program
• Government of Canada marks Emergency Preparedness Week and strengthens federal emergency management 
• Government of Canada matches donations to the Red Cross' 2026 Manitoba Flood Appeal
• Government of Canada to match donations to the Red Cross' 2026 British Columbia Wildfires Appeal

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SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC)