A provincewide emergency alert test scheduled for 1:55 p.m. Wednesday has been cancelled due to active wildfires in parts of Alberta.
Alert Ready, the national public alerting agency, announced the cancellation just after 8 a.m. Wednesday morning in a post on X. The agency said the test was called off by the Government of Alberta “due to ongoing wildfires in some parts of the province.”
The test was part of a nationwide Alert Ready system check and was expected to be broadcast on television, radio and compatible wireless devices. It would have begun with the Canadian Alert Attention Signal, followed by a message confirming it was a test and did not require public action.
Canadians cannot opt out of test alerts or actual emergency warnings.
The message was to be sent by Alberta’s emergency management organization, in line with other jurisdictions participating in the national test. Quebec had previously opted out.
The Alert Ready test coincided with Emergency Preparedness Week, which runs May 4 to 10. This year’s theme is Be prepared. Know your risks.
The Government of Alberta describes the week as “an annual, nationwide event coordinated by Public Safety Canada (PSC) in partnership with the provinces, territories, and other partners to encourage Canadians to become better prepared for emergencies.”
The province encourages Albertans to:
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Get and stay informed
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Know the risks
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Make a plan
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Gather supplies and build a kit
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Make community connections
Not all mobile users would have received the alert. According to the release, this may occur due to device compatibility, signal coverage, LTE or 5G network access, or device software and settings.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires at least one test alert per year, either during Emergency Preparedness Week or in November. Participation is voluntary for provinces and territories.
Alert Ready is a collaboration between federal, provincial and territorial governments, Pelmorex Corp., broadcasters and wireless providers. The test is intended to raise awareness, confirm system reliability and allow officials to test the alert process from end to end.
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