Fellow GTT Participants, here is the text of a Federal Government website related to the Emergency Alert System discussed during the April 11, 2018 GTT Nat Con Call.
Emergency Alert Messages and the National Public Alerting System (NPAS)
crtc.gc.ca
https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/television/services/alert.htm
Emergency Alert Messages and the National Public Alerting System (NPAS)
In 2014, the CRTC required that FM radio, AM radio and over-the-air (OTA) television stations, as well as
subscription-based broadcasting service providers
Footnote 1,
to participate in the National Public Alerting System (NPAS).
Since April 6, 2018, the CRTC requires that all wireless service providers participate in the NPAS and begin distribution of wireless public emergency
alerts on their long-term evolution (LTE) networks.
Emergency alert messages are issued by public officials
Footnote 2
who are designated by the federal government or your province or territory to warn the public of imminent or unfolding hazards to life and property (e.g.,
fire, natural disasters, biological threats, hazardous materials, environmental disasters, civil emergencies). These officials are also responsible for
issuing scheduled test messages.
Each year, during Emergency Preparedness Week in May, wireless service providers and broadcasters will distribute a test alert. Read more about alert types
and testing at
Alert Ready.
For more information about the NPAS:
National Public Alerting System.
The list of subscription-based broadcasting service providers currently participating in the NPAS
The following list indicates the subscription-based broadcasting service providers that distribute emergency alerts. If you subscribe to one or more of
the subscription based broadcasting service providers below, you should be receiving emergency alert messages. If you require more details, please contact
your broadcasting service provider.
Subscription-based broadcasting service providers that distribute emergency alert messages:
list of 24 items
- 2251723 Ontario
- Access
- AEBC Internet
- Bell
- Bell ExpressVu
- Bragg Communications Incorporated
- Câblevision du Nord de Québec
- Cogeco Connexion Inc.
- IAAK Technologies
- K-Right Communications
- Nexicom Communications
- Northwestel
- Persona Communications
- Rogers
- SaskTel
- Shaw
- Shaw Direct
- Sogetel
- TBayTel
- TELUS
- Vianet
- Vidéotron
- Wightman Telecom
- Zazeen
list end
The map of FM radio, AM radio and over-the-air (OTA) television stations broadcasting emergency alert messages figure
If you want to find out whether you can receive emergency alert messages where you live, consult the map below:
TV and Radio Stations that Broadcast Emergency Alert Messages
The map of FM radio, AM radio and over-the-air (OTA) television stations broadcasting emergency alert messages figure end
Wireless Public Alerting
To be able to receive wireless alerts, your mobile device must be an LTE device like a smartphone, compatible with wireless public alerting, and connected
to an LTE cellular network at the time the emergency alert is issued.
Emergency alerts are issued to a defined geographic area, such that only people in the defined area will receive the emergency alerts. If you are travelling
in another province when an alert is issued, your compatible wireless device will receive the alert, provided your phone is powered on and connected to
the LTE cellular network. There is no need to enable the location services on your wireless device to receive alerts.
When an alert is issued, you will hear the same alert tone on your mobile devices as you currently do while listening to the radio or watching television.
The alert will also trigger a unique vibration cadence.
To know more about the compatible wireless devices offered by your wireless service provider, visit
Alert Ready.
Important Notes
There might be radio or TV stations or subscription service providers broadcasting or distributing emergency alert messages that aren’t on our map or that
do not appear in the list. Why?
There are two possible reasons.
First, the map and list are created by using data collected from CRTC annual surveys that are issued to FM radio, AM radio and over-the-air (OTA) television
stations, as well as
subscription-based broadcasting service providers.
Recipients are required to submit the surveys to the CRTC no later than November 30 of each year. The data contained in the list and map were collected
as part of the November 30, 2016 annual surveys. Any station or service provider that started broadcasting or distributing emergency alerts after November
30, 2016 may not appear on the map and in the list.
Second, the surveys were only sent to FM radio, AM radio and over-the-air (OTA) television stations and
subscription-based broadcasting service providers
holding a broadcasting licence from the CRTC. Some stations or service providers, under very specific conditions, are not required to have a licence and
therefore do not appear in the map or list.
