LBSAR is over 40 members strong, and in 2025 the team responded to a record 35 calls, reflecting both the growing use of the backcountry and the ongoing need for highly trained professional volunteers in natural disasters like flooding and landslides.
The Lions Bay General Store located at 350 Centre Road Lions Bay, BC V0N 2E0 Canada
Lions Bay is a small oceanside village on the eastern shore of Howe Sound, located along the Sea-to-Sky Highway about 25 km northwest of downtown Vancouver. Framed by steep coastal mountains and ocean beaches, it is one of the Lower Mainland’s most scenic—and geographically constrained— communities.
With a population of roughly 3,000 residents, Lions Bay has a strong sense of community and a deep connection to the outdoors. The village has a quaint general store, a fire hall with ambulance service, an elementary school, and sits at the base of several popular backcountry hiking routes and alpine objectives.
Over the years, as recreation in the surrounding backcountry increased, so did the need for organized assistance when people became lost or injured. In the early years, local residents often came together informally to support rescue efforts.
In 1982, a devastating flood along Alberta Creek caused significant damage within the village and tragically claimed the lives of two young residents. The scale of the response highlighted the need for a dedicated emergency organization, leading to the formation of Lions Bay Search and Rescue in 1983.
LBSAR was founded by local mountaineers, outdoor enthusiasts, and members of the UBC Varsity Outdoors Club, under the leadership of Marcel Andrie.
Marcel Andrie immigrated to Canada from Switzerland. He was a founding member of Lions Bay Search and Rescue in the basement of his home in Lions Bay. Early call outs were supported by his wife Heidi in the kitchen making chilli, and his daughter Nadine running phone messages.
On April 30, 1994, while on a GSAR training trip in Tetrahedron Park with two other GSAR members and a family friend, Marcel suffered a cardiac arrest and died. He was 59.
A bridge was built in his name crossing Harvey Creek on the way to the Lions. This tribute is especially fitting as GSAR members found crossing the creek in that location while carrying equipment or an injured subject particularly difficult.
Marcel was happy to construct solutions to challenges found in the field of GSAR. He rigged up and tested out quite a few systems to move patients more smoothly and safely down the mountain. He was invitational in his leadership and instigated many a fun training weekend adventures. He was remarkable at finding roles for anyone who wanted to help out on the team. His ice axe still hangs on the wall in memory of his commitment to SAR.
As the team grew, LBSAR expanded its technical capabilities and operational reach. Early involvement in rigging work for Expo 86 helped the team develop a strong foundation in technical rope rescue, a capability that remains central today. By the late 1980s, LBSAR was regularly working alongside neighbouring teams such as Squamish and North Shore Rescue in mutual aid responses.
In 1992, the team established a permanent base in the Village Emergency Building, sharing facilities with the Fire Department and BC Ambulance Service.
Lions Bay Fire Hall, Ambulance, and LBSAR, 400 Centre Rd, Lions Bay, BC V0N 2E0, Canada.
The community of Lions Bay continues to face environmental challenges tied to extreme weather events and flooding.
On December 14, 2024, another tragic landslide in Battani Creek took the lives of two beloved community members and served as a stark reminder of the teams’ foundation.
LBSAR continues to support its community and responds to the ever increasing flood risks around the lower mainland, including most recently in supporting evacuations in Chilliwack on Dec 14, 2025.
We continued to adapt, train, and prepare to respond to a broad range of emergencies and natural disasters, strengthening collaboration with regional partners and supporting both local and mutual-aid callouts.
