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RFQ – Water Safety & Rescue Awareness Training (Indigenous Instructors)

19 January 2026/IAMC-TMX/,

Send Complete Submissions by January 23, 2026

IAMC–TMX Emergency Management Subcommittee (EMSC)
Issued by Cando (Contracting Lead)
Issue Date: January 16, 2026
Closing Date: January 23, 2026
Contact: Russ Nelson
Email: russ@iamc.ca

1. Background

The IAMC–TMX Emergency Management Subcommittee (EMSC) is seeking Indigenous-led instructors or Indigenous professional training teams to deliver awareness‑level water safety, swift water rescue, and ice water rescue instruction to Indigenous communities along the Trans Mountain corridor.

Training will support:

  • Community safety and risk mitigation
  • Skills relevant for work (including pipeline work), recreation safety, and career readiness with emergency or responder agencies
  • Family-inclusive learning environments for adults, youth, and multigenerational groups

The program must begin delivery January 2026, with an agreement in place no later than the end of January. Delivery will continue on an on‑demand basis throughout 2026.

2. Scope of Work

2.1 Training Delivery

The contractor will deliver awareness‑level (non‑technical, no in‑water immersion) training sessions covering:

  • Water safety fundamentals
  • Swift water hazard awareness
  • Ice safety and ice rescue awareness
  • Scene safety, risk assessment, and safe positioning
  • PPE basics and emergency communication/activation
  • Weather/seasonal hazard considerations
  • Culturally safe approaches to teaching adult and youth learners

Sessions will be:

  • On-site in participating Indigenous communities
  • A blend of classroom (indoor or outdoor lecture) and supervised outdoor demonstrations
  • Delivered in English, with cultural awareness, respect for community protocols, and Indigenous knowledge integration
  • Family-inclusive, with safety planning central to sessions involving youth or multigenerational groups

2.2 Train-the-Instructor (TTI)

Contractor must also deliver a Train-the-Instructor (awareness facilitator) stream that equips communities to carry on future awareness‑level training independently.

2.3 Equipment & Logistics

  • Contractor provides all training equipment and demonstration materials.
  • Classroom/meeting space will be negotiated directly between contractor and host community.

2.4 Reporting Requirements

The contractor must provide to the IAMC EMSC EM Program Manager Russ Nelson:

  • Participant list (adults & youth)
  • Certificates of attendance (or formal certifications if applicable)
  • A brief outcomes summary after each session
  • Incident reporting:
    • Any safety incident during training must be reported immediately
    • EMSC will review the incident before additional sessions proceed

2.5 Safety

  • Emphasis on awareness only — no in-water immersion or technical rescue requirements.
  • Outdoor demonstration safety planning is mandatory.

3. Qualifications

Minimum Required:

  • Indigenous instructor(s) or Indigenous‑led training team
  • Practical experience teaching:
    • Water safety
    • Swift water rescue awareness
    • Ice rescue awareness
  • Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous cultural values and community protocols
  • Ability to teach mixed adult/youth and family‑inclusive groups
  • Must carry minimum $2M commercial general liability insurance
  • Must meet applicable WCB requirements in their province/territory

4. Submission Requirements (max 10 pages)

  1. Instructor/team bios & Indigenous affiliation
  2. Relevant credentials & training certifications
  3. Detailed training plan
    • Session structure
    • Outdoor demonstration approach
    • Safety planning for multigenerational groups
  4. Train‑the‑Instructor approach
  5. Availability beginning January 2026
  6. Travel model (regions you can serve, barriers, seasonal considerations)
  7. Curriculum outline & materials description
  8. Insurance & WCB confirmation
  9. Pricing: per-session rate, day rate, travel costs, materials costs
  10. Two references from similar training or emergency management instruction

5. Evaluation Criteria

CriterionWeight
Indigenous leadership & cultural safety20%
Instructor credentials & experience20%
Suitability and clarity of training plan20%
Quality of Train‑the‑Instructor component15%
Availability beginning January 202615%
Price & value10%

A minimum two‑person evaluation committee will review submissions (one from Cando, one from EMSC), per PRD requirements.

6. Contract Details

  • Contract value (NTE): Up to $60,000
  • Term: January–December 2026
  • Payment: Monthly invoicing with session reports
  • Contracting Entity: Cando (on behalf of Indigenous Caucus / EMSC)
  • Procurement path: RFQ; Indigenous providers prioritized

7. Submission Instructions

Send complete submissions to:

Email: russ@iamc.ca
Subject: RFQ – Water Safety & Rescue Awareness Training (Indigenous Instructors)

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Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee - TMX

Time Sensitive Notice: RFQ – Indigenous Instructors for Water Safety, Swift Water & Ice Rescue (Awareness Level) The IAMC–TMX Emergency Management Subcommittee (EMSC) is seeking Indigenous-led instructors or Indigenous professional training teams to deliver awareness-level water safety, swift water rescue, and ice water rescue instruction to Indigenous communities along the Trans Mountain corridor. The closing date is Jan. 23, 2026 For more information, visit https://www.iamc.ca/rfq-water-safety-rescue-awareness-training-indigenous-instructors/

Time Sensitive Notice: RFQ – Indigenous Instructors for Water Safety, Swift Water & Ice Rescue (Awareness Level) The IAMC–TMX Emergency Management Subcommittee (EMSC) is seeking Indigenous-led instructors or Indigenous professional training teams to deliver awareness-level water safety, swift water rescue, and ice water rescue instruction to Indigenous communities along the Trans Mountain corridor. The closing date is Jan. 23, 2026 For more information, visit https://www.iamc.ca/rfq-water-safety-rescue-awareness-training-indigenous-instructors/
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9
1 Comments
Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee - TMX

Today, we pause to honour and remember. December 6 marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, commemorating the 14 women murdered at Montréal’s École Polytechnique in 1989. This day reminds us of the urgent need to end gender-based violence in all its forms. For the IAMC-TMX Socioeconomic Subcommittee (SESC), this commitment is deeply connected to our work. We advocate for the safety, security, and economic well-being of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in the context of resource development. Our efforts include: ● Advancing Action Plan Measure 12 (APM 12) under the UNDRIP Act to protect Indigenous women and gender-diverse people in infrastructure projects. ● Promoting wise practices for community safety and oversight. ● Integrating a gendered lens (IGBA+) into emergency management and regulatory frameworks. ● Supporting Indigenous-led monitoring and decision-making to address socioeconomic impacts. Violence against women is both a personal tragedy and a systemic issue that intersects with resource development, economic security, and community wellness. Today, and every day, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting and promoting Indigenous women and gender-diverse people.

Today, we pause to honour and remember. December 6 marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, commemorating the 14 women murdered at Montréal’s École Polytechnique in 1989. This day reminds us of the urgent need to end gender-based violence in all its forms. For the IAMC-TMX Socioeconomic Subcommittee (SESC), this commitment is deeply connected to our work. We advocate for the safety, security, and economic well-being of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in the context of resource development. Our efforts include: ● Advancing Action Plan Measure 12 (APM 12) under the UNDRIP Act to protect Indigenous women and gender-diverse people in infrastructure projects. ● Promoting wise practices for community safety and oversight. ● Integrating a gendered lens (IGBA+) into emergency management and regulatory frameworks. ● Supporting Indigenous-led monitoring and decision-making to address socioeconomic impacts. Violence against women is both a personal tragedy and a systemic issue that intersects with resource development, economic security, and community wellness. Today, and every day, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting and promoting Indigenous women and gender-diverse people.
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Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee - TMX

The socioeconomic subcommittee gathering has come to a close. We ended in a circle, a powerful way to honour the relationships, knowledge and shared purpose of keeping people and communities safer. We are grateful to everyone who shared their voice and energy. Thank you, Mo, for creating the beautiful illustration that captured the knowledge and brilliance from the gathering and participants! A huge thank you to the facilitators, Marcia Turner, Tracy Friedel and many more who made this gathering a success!! Safe travels, everyone.

The socioeconomic subcommittee gathering has come to a close. We ended in a circle, a powerful way to honour the relationships, knowledge and shared purpose of keeping people and communities safer. We are grateful to everyone who shared their voice and energy. Thank you, Mo, for creating the beautiful illustration that captured the knowledge and brilliance from the gathering and participants! A huge thank you to the facilitators, Marcia Turner, Tracy Friedel and many more who made this gathering a success!! Safe travels, everyone.
The socioeconomic subcommittee gathering has come to a close. We ended in a circle, a powerful way to honour the relationships, knowledge and shared purpose of keeping people and communities safer. We are grateful to everyone who shared their voice and energy. Thank you, Mo, for creating the beautiful illustration that captured the knowledge and brilliance from the gathering and participants! A huge thank you to the facilitators, Marcia Turner, Tracy Friedel and many more who made this gathering a success!! Safe travels, everyone. The socioeconomic subcommittee gathering has come to a close. We ended in a circle, a powerful way to honour the relationships, knowledge and shared purpose of keeping people and communities safer. We are grateful to everyone who shared their voice and energy. Thank you, Mo, for creating the beautiful illustration that captured the knowledge and brilliance from the gathering and participants! A huge thank you to the facilitators, Marcia Turner, Tracy Friedel and many more who made this gathering a success!! Safe travels, everyone.
9
1 Comments
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Grateful to Christie Charles from the Musqueam Indian Band for welcoming us to your territory and for the beautiful stories and song. Thank you to the Elders Violet and Michael Meguinis from Tsuutina for the circle of prayers, lighting a candle and smudge for all Missing and Murdered Indigenous folks. This morning’s session, we learned about socioeconomic transportation Inequities for Indigenous folks in rural and remote areas with Dr. Tiffany Prete. She talked about how unsafe and unreliable transportation creates real harm, isolating families, limiting access to health care and education, and increasing the risk of violence. Then, we mapped some of the causes of these inequities. Colonial barriers are still here. This afternoon, we discussed the Federal government's Building Canada Act to fast-track and streamline major projects and how we can be ready to promote safety and economy in our Nations.
3
Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee - TMX

As discussions continue at the Protecting and Promoting Indigenous Women Gathering, participants have surfaced critical priorities and reflections shaping the dialogue: ● Lack of access to affordable housing and risk of homelessness ● Sex trafficking linked to work camps and non-local workers ● Mental stresses and depression connected to suicide ● Double burden of gender and racialized discrimination ● Heightened drug trade activity A powerful conversation developed about the 550 missing and murdered males in Alberta. We must stop excluding them from these discussions. Violence and vulnerability affect Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people and men, and addressing these realities requires inclusive, systemic solutions. These insights reinforce the need to embed safety, security, and wellness into project planning from the outset through Indigenous Gender-Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+), and community- and Indigenous-led oversight.

As discussions continue at the Protecting and Promoting Indigenous Women Gathering, participants have surfaced critical priorities and reflections shaping the dialogue: ● Lack of access to affordable housing and risk of homelessness ● Sex trafficking linked to work camps and non-local workers ● Mental stresses and depression connected to suicide ● Double burden of gender and racialized discrimination ● Heightened drug trade activity A powerful conversation developed about the 550 missing and murdered males in Alberta. We must stop excluding them from these discussions. Violence and vulnerability affect Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people and men, and addressing these realities requires inclusive, systemic solutions. These insights reinforce the need to embed safety, security, and wellness into project planning from the outset through Indigenous Gender-Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+), and community- and Indigenous-led oversight.
As discussions continue at the Protecting and Promoting Indigenous Women Gathering, participants have surfaced critical priorities and reflections shaping the dialogue: ● Lack of access to affordable housing and risk of homelessness ● Sex trafficking linked to work camps and non-local workers ● Mental stresses and depression connected to suicide ● Double burden of gender and racialized discrimination ● Heightened drug trade activity A powerful conversation developed about the 550 missing and murdered males in Alberta. We must stop excluding them from these discussions. Violence and vulnerability affect Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people and men, and addressing these realities requires inclusive, systemic solutions. These insights reinforce the need to embed safety, security, and wellness into project planning from the outset through Indigenous Gender-Based Analysis Plus (IGBA+), and community- and Indigenous-led oversight.
2

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