Comox Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR), may soon be searching for a new headquarters due to rising rent costs and reaching the limits of their provincial operational funding.
CVSAR, is located at 3001 Moray Avenue in Courtenay for nearly 30 years.Due to rising costs associated with rent in January and maxing out their provincial operational costs, they may be looking for a new headquarters, sooner rather than later.
鈥淭he search for a permanent home has been more than a decade but certainly in earnest over the last five or six years,鈥� said Paul Berry, Comox Valley Search and Rescue information officer.
SAR teams can receive up to $100,000 depending on the size of the team and if the number of qualified members and the capabilities of a group is recognized. There is a formula for determining the annual budget allocation each team receives. Many teams receive a great deal less than the $100,000 maximum. Only a portion of the groups get that maximum amount.
The 2024 allocation was $86,400. CVSAR pays above that in their lease and utilities alone.
The CVSAR is the busiest on the Island and the funding they receive barely covers their facility, utilities and the costs of running the SAR team.
鈥淎 significant amount of fundraising on top of [the provincial funding], and then annually applying for a gaming grant to help support the areas that we need to support training.鈥�
The CVSAR is now hoping to find a piece of land that is centrally located in the valley to build a new home base. They rent the building they are in and while they have had talks with their landlord regarding purchasing the building, the cost is out of reach for them.
鈥淲e have looked at this facility and we have been in negotiations with the landlord, the price he is willing to sell this for is out of reach for us,鈥� said Berry.
Berry has travelled throughout the province and seen the facilities that other SAR teams get to work out and there is a stark difference.
鈥淭he team in Vernon just moved into a brand new custom built facility, virtually all at taxpayers cost for over $4 million there. Central Okanagan Search and Rescue are currently in the process of looking for land and they are going to be publicly supported at a cost of around $8 million. Even small communities like Smithers [have] a beautiful facility on airport property, sported again by the regional district.鈥�
Berry hopes that a landowner in the area with a central location will step forward for CVSAR to offer land to the team. The problem is that any offers so far have been in a location unsuitable for first responders.
CVSAR is willing to work with landowners on a price to balance it with tax receipts to offset capital gains.
鈥淎s you drive around and see parcels that are available, many are for lease, but many have pretty significant price tags to them,鈥� shared Berry.
In the meantime, CVSAR continues to fundraise to help with their operational costs that go far beyond what the province provides for them.
鈥淚f anyone is interested in supporting us in this project, do look at our website鈥�., you can certainly donate there. We鈥檙e thankful for the work we do now here in the community.鈥�
CVSAR is a free service provided by the non-profit society, made up of volunteers.
To donate or learn more, visit:
