Canadian Wings of Rescue

Canadian Wings of Rescue

Canadian Wings of Rescue / Uncategorized  / When aviation volunteers mobilize: CWoR supports emergency air exercise

When aviation volunteers mobilize: CWoR supports emergency air exercise

On a warm fall morning in Stratford, Ontario (CYSA), a small but mighty team from Canadian Wings of Rescue joined organizations, academics, first-responders and pilots at Air Bridge 2025, Ontario’s first general aviation emergency response exercise.

As a registered charity powered 100% by volunteers, CWOR was proud to have both pilots in the air and an information booth on the ground at this first-of-its-kind event organized by Alliance North.

VEAC pilots at Air Bridge 2025

The simulation was more than a drill. It was a call to action that demonstrated the critical, underused role that general aviation and Ontario volunteer private pilots can play in emergencies.

Public benefit flying in action

Air Bridge 2025 showcased many different roles, from drone reconnaissance for search-and-rescue operations, to transportation of emergency personnel, and our team’s involvement reaffirmed what we’ve always known: general aviation can be a powerful force.

Private pilots and CWoR volunteer transport coordinators Ryan and Horace

Some of our own volunteer pilots participated in the simulation, flying coordinated exercises to deploy medical teams, airlift supplies, and simulate aid delivery.

Meanwhile, on the ground, CWoR staff and volunteers welcomed visitors at our booth, sharing our mission: to fly vulnerable animals across Canada to safety and care, free of charge. The same spirit of coordination and compassion that fuels disaster response is what drives our animal rescue flights.

“For the last two years, we’ve been building training courses, response plans,” said Chirag Chopra, Alliance North co-founder and Canadian Wings of Rescue board member. “We’ve been talking with various municipal, provincial, federal level officials and getting this all together. So this event was a culmination of all of that.”

Chirag Chopra, CWoR board member and Alliance North co-founder

Same Wings, Shared Mission

While Air Bridge 2025 focused on emergency scenarios, it highlighted the shared DNA between disaster response and animal rescue: both require coordination, trust, and fast mobilization, often in time-sensitive conditions.

We’re especially proud to see the launch of the Volunteer Emergency Air Corps (VEAC), a new network of civilian pilots now ready to be activated when Ontario needs them most. It’s a natural complement to CWoR’s ongoing mission and a reminder of how adaptable and impactful our volunteer aviation network can be.

“We are showcasing to the federal, provincial, municipal governments that we’ve got a

VEAC pilots and Geri (centre) CWoR volunteer

program of training – and getting pilots.   So as much as it was testing out our own protocols and our own procedures, it was very much intended to get the message out to communities, to governments, to whoever needs to know this, that local pilots exist in the communities they want to help,” shared Chirag.

Cheryl

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Welcome to our new followers!

Since we've been seeing new faces here, we thought to take a moment to further introduce some facts about ourselves! We're completely volunteer-run and dedicated to running a non-profit community of passionate people doing different important responsibilities together to help vulnerable animals across Canada. 

We've flown 1300+ animals over 12 years, and we're gonna continue doing so nation-wide with the help of our pilots, rescue partners, and your own support!

We're so glad to have you as part of our journey. Stay tuned with us regarding our transports, rescue updates, blogs, and everything else going on in our community! 

Of course, that includes pictures of our adorable animals.

Welcome to our new followers!

Since we`ve been seeing new faces here, we thought to take a moment to further introduce some facts about ourselves! We`re completely volunteer-run and dedicated to running a non-profit community of passionate people doing different important responsibilities together to help vulnerable animals across Canada.

We`ve flown 1300+ animals over 12 years, and we`re gonna continue doing so nation-wide with the help of our pilots, rescue partners, and your own support!

We`re so glad to have you as part of our journey. Stay tuned with us regarding our transports, rescue updates, blogs, and everything else going on in our community!

Of course, that includes pictures of our adorable animals.
...

11 2
Meet Bentley! This sweet 6-year-old golden was surrendered to our rescue partner @goldenrescue and needed a new start. Thanks to our volunteer pilot Hugues L., Bentley just completed an incredible 5-hour flight from Quebec to New Brunswick, where his loving foster family was waiting with open arms!
Bentley's journey across provinces shows how far love can travel when we work together to save lives.
📍 Calling Eastern Canada pilots! We'd love to expand our reach across Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. If you're a licensed pilot in these regions, we need you to help us save more lives like Bentley's. Sign up to be a volunteer pilot with us through the link in bio.

Meet Bentley! This sweet 6-year-old golden was surrendered to our rescue partner @goldenrescue and needed a new start. Thanks to our volunteer pilot Hugues L., Bentley just completed an incredible 5-hour flight from Quebec to New Brunswick, where his loving foster family was waiting with open arms!
Bentley`s journey across provinces shows how far love can travel when we work together to save lives.
📍 Calling Eastern Canada pilots! We`d love to expand our reach across Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. If you`re a licensed pilot in these regions, we need you to help us save more lives like Bentley`s. Sign up to be a volunteer pilot with us through the link in bio.
...

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