Following Government of Canada commitments to the International Cospas/Sarsat Programme Agreement (ICSPA) treaty and in line with the National Search and Rescue (SAR) Program strategic policy, the Canadian Mission Control Centre processes satellite-collected signals to provide distress alert notifications and data to SAR agencies over a dedicated SAR network.
RCAF Regular Force, Reserve, and Civilian Department of National Defence members ensure 24/7, year-round support to Rescue Coordination Centres (RCCs) and International SAR partners. The centre provides timely information on locations of emergencies as well as accurate beacon owner information to emergency and search and rescue personnel. This information aids in the resolution of distress cases and efficient use of SAR assets.
The Canadian Beacon Registry is part of the Canadian Mission Control Centre and is responsible for collecting, verifying, and maintaining current and accurate civilian and military beacon registration databases for use by responders in search and rescue operations. It is mandatory for all 406 MHz ELTs (Canadian Aviation Regulations 605.38) and EPIRBs (Ship Station (Radio) Technical Regulations, 1999) to be registered with the Canadian Beacon Registry. Registering beacon helps to eliminate false alarms, which divert search and rescue resources away from genuine emergencies.
Register a beacon with the Canadian Beacon Registry
