Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Canada will conduct a countrywide test of its Alert Ready emergency alert system on Wednesday, May 7. Every province and territory, with the exception of Quebec, will receive test messages across television, radio, and wireless devices such as smartphones.
These test messages are designed to simulate an actual emergency alert and will begin with a distinct warning tone. The test will be issued at different local times across Canada: 1:55 p.m. in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Yukon; 10:55 a.m. in New Brunswick; 10:45 a.m. in Newfoundland and Labrador; 9:55 a.m. in the Northwest Territories; 1:55 p.m. in Nova Scotia; 2 p.m. in Nunavut; 12:55 p.m. in Ontario and Prince Edward Island; and 12:55 p.m. in Prince Edward Island. Saskatchewan will receive the alert at 1:55 p.m. CST.
Since 2024, the Alert Ready system has issued 877 alerts related to threats such as natural disasters and AMBER alerts for abducted children. These critical notifications are mandatory and cannot be opted out of. However, the alerts may not appear on all mobile devices—particularly those not connected to LTE or 5G networks.
The test underscores the system’s role in safeguarding the public during emergencies by ensuring that communication lines remain reliable and responsive.
