Latest news with #NationalPublicAlertingSystem
Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Why did I get an emergency alert for a homicide in Pickering? Teen boy charged with 1st-degree murder following ‘sadistic and cowardly' attack
Thousands of Ontario residents received a shelter-in-place alert during the Thursday afternoon commute. The alert indicated police were investigating a homicide suspect at 2125 Lynn Heights Dr., but it failed to mention the community name of Pickering. The alert appeared to create confusion on social media and included the r/askTO subreddit on . People receive this alert on Toronto-area cellphones as police hunt for a suspect in Thursday's stabbing death. Commenters reported receiving the alert in downtown Toronto and Newmarket. Others who said they received it, live more than 100-kilometres away from the impacted area, in places like Haliburton and Barrie. Alert Ready is the public-facing brand name for the National Public Alerting System administered by Public Safety Canada. Canada's emergency alerting system is intended to deliver critical alerts to Canadians through television, radio and LTE-connected and compatible wireless devices. The May 29 Pickering alert was sent by the Ontario Provincial Police on behalf of Durham Regional Police. In an email to Metroland, Durham police spokesperson Joanne McCabe said the local police service provided a suggested area to shelter in place in its alert request to the OPP. 'The area the alert extends to and what information is released, is at the discretion of the OPP,' McCabe added. 'My understanding is the reach for the alert went further than the requested area as the armed suspect was mobile and there was an imminent threat to public safety.' Metroland has also reached out to the OPP and will update this piece when we receive a reply. A shelter in place can be issued for major police events. The Government of Canada website advises people to follow the directions and advice of law enforcement and first responders. Here's what you should do if you receive a notice: In a May 30 update, Durham police said a 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after an older adult woman was stabbed to death in the Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road area of Pickering Thursday afternoon. The suspect was initially thought to be 13, according to a previous news release. On May 29 at 3:05 p.m., police responded to the area for an unknown trouble call. After a brief encounter, the suspect 'assaulted the victim in an unprovoked attack (by) stabbing her multiple times,' police said. The woman was outside her home on Lynn Heights Drive near Fairport Road around 3 p.m., when police say the suspect approached her. A passerby found a woman on the ground outside a residence suffering from traumatic injuries. She was transported to a Toronto-area trauma centre and pronounced dead. In a media briefing Thursday evening, Durham police Chief Peter Moreira called the suspect 'sadistic and cowardly' in the unprovoked attack, which was captured on video. 'I worked in homicide for a long time and I can tell you that an unprovoked attack like this is just unimaginable,' Moreira added. The woman was doing what 'everyone else would do at the front of their home,' according to Moreira and added she does not hold any responsibility for the attack. Following the stabbing, police said the suspect fled eastbound on Lynn Heights Drive, which prompted a massive search that included a rare shelter-in-place alert issued across the Greater Toronto Area in a bid to minimize any risk to public safety. Police said the suspect was arrested without incident Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. The stabbing death is Durham Region's second homicide of 2025, said police. The woman's name is being withheld at the request of the family. — With files from Kristen Calis, Toronto Star Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
05-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Most provinces in Canada, including Ontario, will receive an emergency alert this week — here's why and when
When you hear an emergency alert on Wednesday, May 7, don't worry; it's only a test. 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 .
CTV News
05-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Canadian Alert Ready practice drill runs this week
A test of Alert Ready, Canada's National Public Alerting System, will take place on Wednesday, across most provinces and territories (not in Quebec). Canadians will receive a message from their provincial emergency management organization over television, radio and compatible wireless devices at: PROVINCE OR TERRITORY TIME OF TEST Alberta 1:55 PM MDT British Columbia 1:55 PM PDT Manitoba 1:55 PM CDT New Brunswick 10:55 AM ADT Newfoundland & Labrador 10:45 AM NDT Northwest Territories 9:55 AM MDT Nova Scotia 1:55 PM ADT Nunavut 2:00 PM EDT Ontario 12:55 PM EDT Prince Edward Island 12:55 PM ADT Quebec No test Saskatchewan 1:55 PM CST Yukon 1:55 PM YST The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires wireless service providers and broadcasters to send at least one test alert each year. The test message will simulate an emergency alert, beginning with the alert tone, known as the Canadian Alert Attention Signal that will indicate that it is a test and does not require action from the public. Testing of the Alert Ready system provides: Increases public awareness about the system, and encourages emergency preparedness conversations, so that Canadians can be ready and prepared in the event of an actual emergency Validate the effectiveness and reliability of the system to ensure it operates as intended from end-to-end Provides an opportunity for Emergency Management officials to practice sending alerts to the public The test alert will be sent out on TV, radio and wireless, however, not all Canadians will receive the test alert on their mobile device. This may occur for a variety of reasons – device compatibility, connection to an LTE or 5G network, cell tower coverage and device software and settings.
CBC
22-02-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Why did some people not receive an alert after the B.C. earthquake?
Social Sharing Many British Columbians received an alert on their phone after a 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck B.C.'s Sunshine Coast on Friday afternoon. The alert notified people that an earthquake had been detected and urged them to "drop, cover and hold on." Natural Resources Canada said the quake occurred at 1:26 p.m. PT at a depth of about 1 kilometre, and there were no immediate reports of damage. The federal department told CBC News an alert was sent at 1:27 p.m. PT. While many received an alert shortly after the quake, others reported not receiving anything. "It does seem to be the case that some people did not receive alerts while people they were with did," said a statement from Natural Resources Canada, which is responsible for the Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system. "This will need to be investigated." The statement said the EEW system only alerts areas where strong and potentially harmful shaking is anticipated. "For people further from the epicentre, feeling lighter shaking, an EEW should not be expected," it said. The statement also said that people may receive an alert before, during or after shaking arrives at their location depending on their distance from the earthquake and the method by which they receive the alert. For an alert to be issued, the quake has to be of a magnitude greater than 5.0 with a Modified Mercalli (MM) Intensity of IV or higher. WATCH | CBC seismologist explains crustal earthquakes: What we know about the 4.7-magnitude earthquake in B.C. 3 hours ago Duration 2:10 CBC meteorologist and seismologist Johanna Wagstaffe breaks down what we know about the 4.7-magnitude earthquake that rattled southwest B.C. and what we can learn from it. Earthquakes Canada initially recorded the magnitude as high as 5.4, but revised the measurement to a 4.7 around 5 p.m. PT — which means it is classified as a minor event. It said an MM IV quake"can be felt indoors by many, outdoors by few" and can lead to the rattling of dishes, and the swinging of hanging objects. Natural Resources Canada said warnings are sent automatically via the National Public Alerting System to cell towers, TVs, and radios within the area where strong shaking is expected. There is no need nor is there a way to sign up for alerts and even visitors to the area should receive an alert. WATCH | CBC's Johanna Wagstaffe says the earthquake is one of the bigger ones B.C. has seen: How rare is an earthquake of this magnitude in B.C.? Our meteorologist explains 5 hours ago Duration 0:55 CBC's Johanna Wagstaffe says the earthquake that hit on Friday is one of the bigger ones B.C.'s coast has seen, but not the "big one" that's expected. Last August, provincial and federal government officials announced that the earthquake early detection system had been activated in B.C. "We cannot stress this enough, during an earthquake, every second counts," Federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said at the time. Tony Yang, a professor with the University of British Columbia's Dept. of Civil Engineering, said the system can allow critical infrastructure to take immediate action, such as halting traffic from driving onto bridges or into tunnels. He said the technology around earthquake alerts is improving, but "we are not real time yet."
