Question Period Note: Supporting a Humanitarian Workforce to Respond to COVID-19 and Other Large-Scale Emergencies

o Provide an update on funding provided to non-governmental organizations through the Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) program.

 Since 2021, the Humanitarian Workforce program has funded non-governmental organizations to maintain readiness for large-scale emergencies.

 This funding is enabling the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada and Team Rubicon Canada to maintain critical capacity to provide surge support in response to large-scale domestic emergencies, including this year’s wildfires.

 The capacity being funded under the program is enabling these five organizations to support all orders of government, including through direct bilateral arrangements.

 Each of these organizations has also been funded under the program to deploy resources to support responses to Requests for Federal Assistance from provinces and territories.

HWF program
o Established in 2021, the HWF program funds specific organizations to maintain capacity and assist in the response to large-scale domestic emergencies. The program has two funding streams.

o Stream 1 (Capacity-Building) funds non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have national reach, experience mobilizing quickly, and the ability to provide services in both official languages. Initially, four NGOs were funded under the program: the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada. Team Rubicon Canada was onboarded to the program in 2024. To-date, a total of $172.7 million (M) in capacity-building funding has been committed to support their emergency response teams. Funded NGOs are maintaining a range of capabilities including logistics, case management, medical / emergency health services, ground search and rescue, and psychosocial support. The capacity built with HWF funding can be accessed by all orders of government, including municipal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous, to support their response efforts.

o Stream 2 (Deployment Activities) funds the deployment of NGOs in response to Requests for Federal Assistance (RFAs) from provinces and territories (P/Ts). To-date, $17.7M has been committed under Stream 2. As of September 24, 2025, HWF NGOs have been deployed four times in support of RFAs during this year’s wildfire season, in Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.

o The HWF program, and corresponding funding, sunsets on March 31, 2026.
Civilian Response
o In 2024, Public Safety Canada undertook targeted engagement of partners and stakeholders on pan-Canadian civilian response.

o Five themes were explored during the consultations: Understanding current capacities, gaps, and challenges; Roles and responsibilities; Coordination and governance; Mobilizing and supporting under-recognized groups in emergency management; and, Indigenous knowledges.

o Insights gained through this engagement have been summarized in a What We Heard Report, released in March 2025.

If Pressed
Q1 – Future of the Humanitarian Workforce Program:
 The Humanitarian Workforce program sunsets on March 31, 2026. A potential extension to the program is being reviewed.

 While the program represents an important step in building readiness and response capacity of non-governmental organizations, the Government of Canada recognizes that a sustainable whole-of-society, pan-Canadian approach is needed to keep pace with the evolving threat environment and help strengthen Canada’s preparedness for future all-hazard emergency events.

 This is why Public Safety engaged with the emergency management community last year on the advancement of a pan-Canadian civilian response capacity. Findings from this engagement process will help support continued discussions, including with the provinces and territories, on opportunities to strengthen Canada’s preparedness for future all-hazards events.