Emergency public alert test happening today

Canada’s public alerting system will be tested across the country today.

An emergency public alert that will be broadcast on television, radio and sent to mobile devices.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission says all provinces and territories, except Nunavut, will get the alerts, but people will not be required to take action.

The exact time of the test will vary depending on the province or territory, with Ontario’s test scheduled for 12:55 p.m.

The agency says they are checking the system’s performance and reliability “to ensure it operates as intended in the event of a life-threatening situation.”

TESTING, TESTING, TESTING: It’s test day, Canada! 🚨🇨🇦

A test alert will be issued in most provinces & territories today: https://t.co/BRbf5JjEVk #AlertReady #AlertReadyTest #Canada pic.twitter.com/xVb173kVZA

— Alert Ready (@AlertReady) November 25, 2020

For a wireless device to receive a test alert, the CRTC says it must be connected to an LTE wireless or a newer wireless network, it must be wireless public alerting compatible and equipped with a recent Canadian version of its operating software.

If a mobile device meets these conditions and does not receive the test, the CRTC encourages Canadians to contact their service provider.