Nationwide Alert Ready emergency alert test scheduled for November 20th

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — This week, British Columbia and the rest of Canada’s provinces except Quebec will take part in a national test of the country’s Alert Ready system.

The City of Fort St. John will experience the test alert on Wednesday, November 20th, at 2:55 p.m. 

On the day of the test, Canadians will receive messages from their provincial or territorial emergency management organization on television, over the radio, and on supported smartphones and mobile devices.

The system is intended to deliver critical or even life-saving alerts to Canadians through television, radio, and LTE-connected and compatible wireless devices. The alerts include but are not limited to tornadoes, flooding, fires, and AMBER alerts.

Alert Ready, Canada’s national public alerting system, reported that in 2024, 16 messages were sent in B.C., with six wildfires, five flash floods, four earthquakes, and one Amber alert. 

According to Alert Ready, the test is being done because the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires wireless service providers and broadcasters to send at least one test alert yearly. 

Each provincial and territorial emergency management organization decides whether to conduct the tests in May or November.

The test provides the opportunity to increase public awareness about the system, prepare Canadians for emergencies, and ensure the system’s reliability.

More information on Alert Ready and this week’s test can be found here.