Over the past two years, jurisdictions across Canada have faced extraordinary strain on their emergency response resources due to COVID-19 outbreaks, wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters. Today, our government announced $150 million in funding for four Canadian emergency management organizations through the Supporting a Humanitarian Workforce to Respond to COVID-19 and Other Large-Scale Emergencies (HWF) program. These organizations have provided critical support when Canadians needed them most – whether that was on the ground in hospitals, long-term care homes, or communities struck by a natural disaster. This funding will enable our partner NGOs – the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada (SARVAC) – to recruit, train, and build their response teams, and to mobilize quickly to provide relief to Canadians in times of need. During Emergency Preparedness Week, let’s celebrate the Canadians who step up to serve their neighbours, and the organizations that facilitate this important work.