Province Welcomes Ontario Mine Rescue to Ontario Corps
March 16, 2026
Ontario building network of partners and volunteers to help protect communities during emergencies and natural disasters
Emergency Preparedness and Response
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SUDBURY— The Ontario government is expanding Ontario Corps by welcoming its latest partner Ontario Mine Rescue (OMR) to leverage their expertise and equipment during an emergency. Through Ontario Corps, the province is delivering on its plan to protect Ontario by creating a network of partners and dedicated volunteers ready to respond to local emergencies and deploy critical resources at a moment’s notice.
“Ontario Mine Rescue has a proven track record in public safety and protection,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “As an Ontario Corps partner, they can provide the experienced personnel and rescue equipment we need to respond quickly and effectively when emergencies strike across the province, especially in rural and remote communities.”
OMR has a network of mine rescue stations in key locations across Ontario that are equipped with specialized emergency equipment including rope rescue systems, structural collapse equipment, thermal imaging technology, breathing apparatuses, power tools and more. Stations are located in Delaware, Kirkland Lake, Marathon, Onaping, Red Lake, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins and Wawa. More equipment, stored across 34 additional mining sites in the province, are also available to be deployed during emergencies. The equipment, coupled with OMR’s expertise in rescues and complex emergencies, ensures the province is ready to act quickly and effectively during an emergency.
Ontario Corps brings together a province-wide network of skilled professionals and highly trained volunteers that can be mobilized quickly to help communities hit hard by emergencies, deploying resources like debris removal tools and machinery, supplies, flood barriers and drones at a moment’s notice.
People of all skill levels and professional backgrounds are encouraged to volunteer for Ontario Corps to help their communities during emergencies. Volunteers will be provided with initial training and matched with partner organizations based on their skill levels, interests and availability.
Quick Facts
For over 90 years, OMR has trained and supported thousands of skilled volunteers who have responded to underground fires, rescues and complex emergencies across Ontario’s mining sector. In Ontario, the law requires that every underground mine establish and maintain a mine rescue program. OMR, a part of Workplace Safety North (WSN), operates under the authority of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Ontario Corps was successfully deployed on several occasions in 2025, including during the spring ice storm and the wildland fire response.
In 2024, the government announced a partnership with Northern College in Timmins to establish a regional emergency hub , strengthening on-the-ground response and preparedness in northern Ontario. This facility could serve as a training center, meeting point, and operations hub for volunteers and partners should a large-scale emergency occur.
A new, state-of-the-art Emergency Preparedness and Response Headquarters will serve as the future home of Ontario Corps. This facility will be equipped with cutting-edge technology needed to protect Ontario as the 24/7, year-round emergency command centre. With a modern home, Ontario Corps will have the tools they need to carry out critical operations and keep people safe.
Quotes
Ontario Mine Rescue represents the very best of Northern Ontario — highly skilled professionals who sacrifice greatly to keep people safe. By bringing them into Ontario Corps, we’re strengthening our province’s emergency response capacity with proven expertise, specialized equipment and decades of real-world experience. As our government builds mines faster to protect our economy from global uncertainty, we are expanding partnerships that strengthen the safety of workers and communities.
– Stephen Lecce
Minister of Energy and Mines
Ontario Mine Rescue reflects the strength and professionalism of the people who power Ontario’s growing mining sector. Through our government’s investments in workplace safety and the Health and Safety Associations that support sectors like mining, we are helping ensure teams like Ontario Mine Rescue have the training and resources they need to protect workers underground and step up when communities need them most. Their addition to Ontario Corps strengthens Ontario’s ability to respond quickly during emergencies and highlights the skill, professionalism and leadership that define Ontario’s mining workforce.
– David Piccini
Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development
Ontario Mine Rescue has always been built on the principle that when emergencies happen, trained people working together can make the difference between tragedy and rescue. Our officers and mine rescue volunteers are highly trained first responders with advanced expertise across many disciplines of emergency response. Combined with our state-of-the-art emergency response equipment positioned across Ontario including in some of the most remote areas of Northern Ontario we are prepared to respond wherever help is needed. This partnership agreement with Ontario Corps strengthens that readiness by bringing together organizations that share a commitment to preparedness, teamwork, and service. By collaborating and sharing our expertise, we are helping ensure Ontario has the capacity and coordination needed to respond effectively and support communities when they need it most.
– Shawn Rideout
Chief Mine Rescue Officer, Ontario Mine Rescue
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