Most provinces in Canada, including Ontario, will receive an emergency alert this week — here's why and when
Canada's National Public Alerting System is co-ordinating a test of the Alert Ready emergency system Wednesday across most provinces and territories.
In Ontario, the test will happen at 12:55 p.m. Eastern Time.
The national test will be conducted over compatible wireless devices, TV and radio.
Provincial emergency management organizations across the country are conducting the test — in Ontario, Emergency Management Ontario is the organization in charge.
The National Public Alerting System said not all Canadians will receive the test on their mobile device. This is dependent on whether your cellphone is compatible, is connected to an LTE or 5G network, cell tower coverage and device software and settings.
'Given the importance of warning Canadians of an imminent threat to the safety of life or property, Canadians do not have an option to opt out of the test or actual emergency alerts,' the organization said in a news release.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires wireless service providers and broadcasters to send at least one test per year.
Tests happen either in May during Emergency Preparedness Week or in November.
The test is intended to increase public awareness of the system so Canadians can be ready in the event of an actual emergency, as well as to validate the effectiveness and reliability of the system and to provide an opportunity to emergency management officials to practise sending alerts.
The Alert Ready system was developed in collaboration with the federal, provincial and territorial governments, Pelmorex, the broadcasting industry and wireless service providers.
'Alert Ready is designed to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alerts to Canadians, including, but not limited to, tornadoes, flooding, fires and amber alerts,' the news release said.
The organization said Alert Ready has delivered 877 public emergency alert messages in Canada since 2024.
More information is available at
alertready.ca
.
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