Don’t be alarmed if your mobile phone suddenly starts blaring a high-pitched emergency alert today. It’s just a test.
A test of Canada’s emergency alert system, Alert Ready is scheduled to take place across B.C. at 1:55 p.m.
The test will be held across the country, except Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
At the scheduled time, the test will send messages through TV and radio stations and through mobile devices with an emergency alert tone, known as the Canadian Alert Attention Signal.
While the distinctive siren can be a loud scare or an irritating interruption, it’s meant to check the effectiveness and reliability of the alert system and increase awareness about it so that Canadians can be prepared in case of an actual emergency.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires wireless service providers and broadcasters to send at least one test alert per year, either in May and/or November. The test was also held in B.C. on May 10.
The message will indicate it’s a test. No action will be required from the public and Canadians are asked not to call 911 for information about the test.
Alert Ready said not all Canadians will receive the test alert on their phones due to reasons including device compatibility, connection to the network, cell tower coverage, and device software and settings.
Alerts sent through the system include tornado warnings, flood, fire and amber alerts. People can’t choose to opt out of the alerts.
To improve its service, Alert Ready is asking Canadians who identify as a person with a disability to fill out a survey after the test. The public can also participate in a separate survey.
In 2023, the Alert Ready system sent out about 1,064 public emergency alerts to Canadians. Twenty-six were sent in B.C., 24 on wildfires and two amber alerts.
