Top university mine rescue teams battle it out in Sudbury

Mining engineering teams from Canadian & U.S. universities compete this week at the first Laurentian University-hosted North American Mine Rescue Competition.

Nine teams have converged in Greater Sudbury this week for the 2026 North American University Mine Rescue Competition.

They will test their abilities in mine rescue, first aid and other problem-solving skills.

This is the first time Laurentian University has hosted the annual event, which includes teams from Canada and the U.S.

“It’s a great way for young mining Engineers to be mindful and design with safety in mind and those procedures in mind,” said Felix Gervais, one of the event’s organizers and the president of the Laurentian Mine Rescue Club.

“It’s also just really good resources to have. A lot of this first aid stuff, you know you just feel more confident when you’re going out hiking.”

Students will spend Wednesday to Friday in competitions, but on Tuesday they were provided with some last-minute wisdom from professional mine rescuers.

Organizers told CTV News that the event is also about knowledge sharing.

“How we do hard-rock mining and mine rescue is completely different than what they do in the coal mine and coal mine rescue,” Gervais said.

“Being able to have everyone come together in this event and learn from one another is about how we do things, not necessarily which way is right and which way is wrong but just trying to learn from each other.”

There are two team from British Columbia, one from Alberta and two from Ontario (Queen’s University and Laurentian). Plus, teams from Colorado and West Virginia.

“There are some differences between not only how we train, some of the equipment, obviously the things that dictate that would be your provincial regulation or what happens in Canada and then what happens for us state-wide within West Virginia,” said Josh Brady, the Director of Mining at West Virginia University and coach of their team.

The teams will each respond to various scenarios including several underground rescues, a mass-casualty first aid event and other challenges.

Judges will be marking each team of various criteria, including teamwork and how well the members work together to solve problems.

“You’re dealing in distances very far under very hazardous environments, you got to work as a team. You have to trust the people you’re working with; you have to train and work together. Those are the big skills you learn,” said Kent Armstrong, the business manager for Dräger Mining Global. Dräger manufactures medical and safety technology life breathing apparatuses.

The various competitions will take place at two venues. The rescue scenarios will be in the underground museum at Dynamic Earth, while the first aid and other challenges will be judged at the Workplace Safety North headquarters downtown.

Winners of the competition will be announced at a banquet Friday night.