Section Managers: Forms | Information Resources
Message from the RAC Community Services Officer: March 2025
Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) plays a pivotal role in the Canadian Amateur Radio community, standing as a beacon of the interests and passions of Amateur Radio enthusiasts across the country. As the voice of Canadian Radio Amateurs, RAC engages with government agencies, ensuring that our collective concerns regarding regulatory and spectrum issues are heard at national and international levels. Furthermore, as the Canadian voting member society of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), RAC embodies our commitment to the global Amateur Radio community. This can be seen in the “Regulatory Roundup” column by Dave Goodwin, VE3KG and in the interjects from many others in the TCA over the past year.
Guided by its constitutional objectives, RAC strives to serve as a unifying force for Canadian Amateur Radio Associations, Societies, Organizations and individual operators. It fosters collaboration between its members and other organizations while advocating for Canadian Amateur operators in key policy decisions at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and IARU meetings. RAC’s mission extends to acting as a crucial liaison to municipal, provincial and federal governments, enhancing the Amateur Radio Service’s stature and influence.
Through a dynamic technical and regulatory information program, RAC promotes excellence and innovation in Amateur Radio’s diverse activities. With a concrete presence in the community and a dedicated corporate office, RAC is committed to serving the interests of all Amateur Radio enthusiasts. However, those who follow RAC for emergency communication must look closely at what RAC is and how it came together. As part of our commitment to our community and the communities we live in across Canada, RAC offers assistance in troubled times and disasters, but we are not an emergency management non-governmental organization (NGO) by any means.
The legacy of Radio Amateurs of Canada began 32 years ago, with the merging of the strengths of two organizations – the Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL) and the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation (CARF) – to address the evolving needs of the Amateur community. This rich history established a framework in which each section is empowered by an elected Section Manager (SM), who collaborates with the Vice-President of Field Services to inspire and drive RAC’s activities forward. With a dedicated Field Organization focused on emergency communications, message forwarding, broadcasting updates, monitoring on-air activities, and implementing vital Executive directives, RAC continues to unite and uplift the Amateur Radio community, fostering a spirit of service and dedication that resonates through every frequency.
Unfortunately, RACs’ involvement with emergency management was limited and often not in line with many emergency management developments throughout Canada, leaving disconnections and, eventually, groups left to train on their own with little to no guidance from the national leadership. Our legacy fell short in implementing many of the services offered by field organizations – which were laid out in the original plans for the creation of Radio Amateurs of Canada – and ultimately fostered the growth of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES).
The role of ARES was to collaborate with local emergency managers to assist in communications during emergencies when, or if, ever required. For some years, ARES became the field organization’s central focus and had been very effective in some areas of Canada. However, many regions experienced significant gaps where services were nonexistent or no Amateur operators were available. As a result, many emergency managers sought alternative solutions to their communication challenges resulting in service gaps in several regions and causing many ARES groups to disband or become directionless.
In response, RAC convened with various groups nationwide to identify these gaps and shortcomings. Through this research, combined with a better understanding of changes in emergency management, RAC aimed to establish a program that would meet the requirements of today’s emergency management practices. Understanding that many checks and balances would have to be added to this program, RAC looked to well-established organizations for examples of what or how RAC could achieve these goals and sought out organizations which were also undergoing similar changes.
The new National Field Services initiative – which began in the latter part of 2022 – is focused on connecting communities through radio communications. This new field organization operates under the direction of the Community Services Officer (CSO) and the National Advisory Committee (NAC) with support from Section Managers (SM). It was established for several key purposes:
- Providing community and disaster communication services
- Fostering new Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
- Promoting the dissemination of on-the-air bulletins (Bulletin Managers, Official Bulletin Service).
- Monitoring on-the-air activity and issuing notices (Official Observer, Official Observer Coordinator).
- Implementing specific actions as directed by the Executive
—
The new National Field Services organization aims to enhance communication and support within communities during emergencies, and promote the use of radio communications to local communities through a whole-of-community approach. This opens the door for newer education programs and community outreach. It is part of the RAC’s new “Readiness Program” and a Pilot Agreement with the Government of Ontario.
Auxiliary Communications Services
The Department of Homeland Security initially developed the Auxiliary Communications (AuxComm) public safety program approximately 15 years ago to address the evolving needs of emergency management. After a year of attending meetings with Statewide Interoperability Coordinators and NGOs utilizing the training, I quickly realized that this system could be improved if adapted for Canada.
Emergency Preparedness and Public Safety Canada has already shared similar perspectives on the topic, as evidenced by these quotes I have referenced numerous times in my CSO Messages:
“Resilient capacity is built through empowering citizens, responders, organizations, communities, governments, systems and society to share the responsibility to keep hazards from becoming disasters.
Resilience minimizes vulnerability or susceptibility by creating or strengthening social and physical capacity in the human and built environment to cope with, adapt to, respond to, and recover and learn from disasters.”
Radio Amateurs of Canada’s Auxiliary Communications Services comprises highly skilled volunteer Amateur Radio operators. The role of ACS is to supplement or augment communications for local, provincial and national emergency management groups and non-government organizations when required. Auxiliary Communications Service teams are essentially integrated unpaid members of the sponsoring agency.
Auxiliary Communications covers many Amateur Radio and professional techniques and systems that could be used during emergencies or disasters. These systems can include: High Frequency (HF); Very High Frequency (VHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF); satellite communications (SATCOM); microwave; digital voice; video; photos; Data Over Radio protocols; and other modes. The characteristics of Amateur Radio operators include adaptability and self-reliance when working in the field. Radio propagation and equipment knowledge are fundamental to this new program.
Auxiliary Communications Services will provide three tiers of operations within each Section. The first tier starts with the Community Response Group, which works directly with the local Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) and assists support groups when required. Many of these groups already exist through the ARES program and fall directly into local or county emergency management systems but under the new ACS Radio Amateurs of Canada will support them by providing much-needed training.
Community Response Groups should be supported by an Amateur Radio club which has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with local emergency management organizations. The MOU should cover any legal issues and meet the local requirements before the Community Response Group begins looking at deployments.
Readiness Projects: Ontario and Beyond
RAC officials recognize the importance of our relationships with Emergency Management Organizations (EMO) and other government agencies and the valuable opportunities these relationships may provide. We have already been collaborating with other provinces and NGOs to assess our readiness to adapt to the evolving requirements and to identify alternative avenues for growth and collaboration that may offer strategic benefits. At present, RAC does not have sufficient resources to deploy in multiple provinces simultaneously without failing.
The new Readiness Project began as a pilot project in Ontario in 2024 and will continue until 2026.
The primary focus of the Readiness Project is to bolster RAC’s capability to offer High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) voice and email radio services to communities in the event of a disaster within Ontario through these funds.
RAC’s Auxiliary Communications Services will include Rapid Response Teams and Section Disaster Support Groups comprised of members from across the Section. They will work together to support large-scale emergencies and incident management teams and make initial assessments for emergencies. This means dedicated teams for deployment, assisting both NGOs and Government teams. The introduction of these teams signifies a new phase in Emergency Services for RAC which will introduce new training and mandates in the future.
The Ontario Pilot Project which began in 2022 included:
- Purchasing 10 portable communications drop kits
- Training individuals to assemble the drop kits
- Assembling 10 drop kits and distributing them across the province
- Forming two ACS Response Teams of Radio Amateurs and equipping them with drop kits
- Introducing the first pilot classes for AuxComm training to better prepare a team for deployment. These classes will form the basis for a new ACS Instructor Program.
—
RAC also strengthened volunteer capacity through the Ontario Corps Volunteer Registration Portal and Partner Portal by:
- Registering as a partner on the Ontario Corps Partner Portal and providing information about our organization and volunteer opportunities in the Portal profile
- Promoting the Ontario Corps Volunteer Registration Portal to the recipients’ volunteers
- Tracking new volunteers who have registered for the Portal and also volunteers who have been leveraged from the Portal
- Providing feedback on the Portal and the Partner Portal’s usability and effectiveness/relevance
—
Ontario’s Emergency Readiness and Capacity Building Program | TPON 2025-2026
Radio Amateurs of Canada is honoured to be among the 17 non-governmental organizations that were invited to apply for the Transfer Payment Ontario (TPON) program for 2025-2026.
Through the Emergency Readiness and Capacity Building Program (ERaCAB), Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) will support non-governmental organizations in developing and bolstering their programs and resources to assist communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies across the province. The Program promotes: leveraging partnerships and volunteers; enhancing preparedness; and increasing local capabilities to strengthen community resilience and response. This includes providing funds through the Community Emergency Preparedness Grant (CEPG) program for supplies, equipment, training and emergency management exercise activities.
RAC officials worked very hard to prepare and submit the proposal in time for the very tight deadline of December 13, 2024. If approved, it is our hope that our experience in Ontario will enable us to extend our success with the ACS into and other Provinces and Territories. For example, RAC will use this program as an introduction to ACS and have the province provide record checks and clearance through this program, rather than RAC having to set up a way to monitor and perform these tasks.
Recently, RAC has noticed similar programs in Quebec and Nova Scotia and there are discussions about Alberta following suit. RAC can utilize these programs to help expand our volunteer base, provide required training and assist in meeting provincial and NGO requirements for deployment and working with vulnerable sectors within Canada.
Strategic Goals and Objectives for Community and Disaster Services in 2025
Goal 1: Enhance Community Engagement
Objective: Increase membership and active participation nationwide through the new membership committee and Sections on-the-air bulletins (Bulletin Manager, Official Bulletin Station).
The Official Bulletin Station will provide coverage of up-to-date information on local nets, and Bulletin Managers will work with RAC and local communities to ensure that information is collected and disseminated according to RAC’s best practices methodologies.
Objective: Expand public awareness campaigns for 2025 with the assistance of the Section Managers and Net Managers.
RAC will look at awareness and recruitment.
Goal 2: Advocate for Radio Amateurs
Objective: Strengthen representation in regulatory affairs and maintain current plans in place with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). This will include monitoring on-the-air activity and issuing notices through the development of Official Observer Stations and Coordinators for each Section.
Goal 3: Foster Innovation and Education
Objective: Support and develop current operational activities with RAC Field Services and the new Auxiliary Communications Service.
Objective: Provide educational resources and training and foster new and ongoing programs such as CanWarn, Winlink training, and other training programs.
These goals and objectives will be a focal point for RAC Section Managers and their sectional teams. To support this program, RAC will meet quarterly with the Sections and ensure that contact points are established so community members can approach the Section Manager directly and collaborate with RAC management closer to home. Through this collaboration, RAC hopes to see more outreach and local developments while enhancing similar programs at a national level. Programs such as Youth On The Air, Youth Education, Traffic and Bulletin Services and building a resource for educational content will be prioritized.
The RAC Field Services will focus on the community, how to inspire operators to get on the air, and how to provide support for new and returning community members.
While some individuals have expressed interest, RAC will continue to develop programs through outreach in the hopes that, by more directly developing programs at the Section level, more interested parties will step forward as volunteers to assist in the success of these changes.