Volunteering in Central Canada: A Workforce in Need of Change Before Disaster Response Program Ends

Disaster volunteers play a critical role in emergency response, yet Central Canada is facing a severe shortage. Many people want to help, but barriers prevent them from joining disaster response teams.

The Humanitarian Workforce (HWF) program, which funds volunteer training and deployment through organizations like The Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and St. John Ambulance Canada, will end in just 13 months unless renewed by the federal government. Without it, Canada’s ability to respond to disasters will be at risk.

Meanwhile, Ontario has launched its own disaster response initiative, the Ontario Guard, to strengthen emergency preparedness at the provincial level. However, the Ontario Guard faces the same challenges as the HWF program, including low volunteer recruitment, restrictive training policies, and limited financial support for volunteers. Without a coordinated federal and provincial effort, disaster response capacity in Central Canada will continue to weaken.

My recent research through Royal Roads University surveyed 120 participants, with 43 percent from Ontario and Quebec. The findings show that while many people want to volunteer, they struggle with various obstacles. Eighty-eight percent of participants said they want to help, yet over half reported they do not have time to commit to volunteering. Nearly a third of respondents stated they do not know where to sign up or how to get involved.

Women in my study reported significant frustration with NGO policies. Nearly 40 percent said they had no say in volunteer decisions, and others noted that volunteers must often pay for training, while paid staff receive more support and better roles. These same concerns apply to the Ontario Guard, which aims to increase disaster resilience but will struggle to retain volunteers if these barriers are not addressed. Recruitment remains low, or if volunteers are discouraged by restrictive policies and financial burdens, disaster response capacity will not improve.

Over 70 percent of participants in my study said climate change is increasing the need for trained disaster volunteers. However, if the HWF program is not renewed, NGOs will lose training, recruitment, and coordination funding. Similarly, while the Ontario Guard is a step toward a stronger provincial disaster response, it will not succeed without addressing the systemic issues plaguing volunteer recruitment in the federal program. If neither program adapts to support volunteers properly, who will be there when the next disaster strikes?

Participants in my study made it clear that they wanted to help but needed better support. Sixty percent said small payments or tax breaks would encourage them to volunteer, and many said formal recognition, such as medals or awards, would improve engagement. The Ontario Guard will also need to consider these incentives if it hopes to attract and retain volunteers. The province will struggle to build a sustainable disaster response force if these support measures are ignored.

The federal government must renew the HWF program, and Ontario must ensure the Ontario Guard is properly supported. Without action, disaster response in Central Canada will be critically underprepared for the next emergency.

If the HWF program disappears, who will step up to fill the gap? This study cautions that volunteer shortages will continue to worsen without renewal, leaving Central Canada vulnerable to the next disaster.