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 (CBR) is a free service for owners of Canadian coded 406 megahertz (MHz) distress beacons to register important information that will help responders find them more quickly in an emergency.
The following 406 MHz beacons are legally required to be registered in the CBR:
It is also encouraged to register 406 MHz personal locator beacons (PLBs) in the CBR. These are portable beacons used when hiking, snowmobiling, etc.
All information in the CBR is private and will only be disclosed to search and rescue authorities.
