Public test of Alert Ready scheduled for May 6, 2026
Canadians in participating provinces and territories can expect a test alert on their television, radio, and compatible wireless devices on May 6, 2026.
A test of Alert Ready, Canada’s national emergency alert system, will take place across most provinces and territories as part of Emergency Preparedness Week (May 3–9, 2026).
Canadians will receive one test message from their respective provincial or territorial emergency management organization via television, radio, and compatible wireless devices at the times listed below.
The Alert Ready test will take place on May 6, with the exception of Ontario, which will be on May 7.
The test message will simulate an emergency alert and begin with the Canadian Alert Attention Signal. It will clearly indicate that it is a test of the emergency alert system and that no action is required.
Why the Alert Ready test matters
Testing the Alert Ready system helps to:
Increase public awareness of Canada’s emergency alert system and encourage preparedness conversations
Validate system reliability across broadcasters, wireless service providers, and emergency management organizations
Provide operational practice for issuing emergency alerts
Will everyone receive the alert on their phone?
The test message will be broadcast on TV, radio, and compatible wireless devices. However, not all Canadians will receive the alert on their mobile phone.
This may be due to:
Device compatibility
LTE/5G network connection
Cell tower coverage
Device settings or software configuration
More information on compatible devices is available here.
Can Canadians opt out of Alert Ready alerts?
No. Canadians cannot opt out of the Alert Ready system, including test alerts.
Because the system is designed to warn of imminent threats to life and property, all emergency alerts are sent to the public in the designated area through television, radio and compatible wireless devices.
Why the test is happening in May
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires wireless service providers and broadcasters to issue at least one public test alert per year, typically in May during Emergency Preparedness Week and/or in November.
Participation in the Alert Ready test is determined by each provincial and territorial emergency management organization.
Emergency Preparedness Week (May 3–9, 2026)
The upcoming test of the Alert Ready system takes place during Emergency Preparedness Week, a national campaign encouraging Canadians to prepare for emergencies such as severe weather, floods, wildfires, and power outages.
The 2026 theme, “Be Prepared. Know Your Risks.”, encourages Canadians to understand local hazards and take simple steps to stay safe, including making an emergency plan, building an emergency kit, and staying informed.
About Alert Ready
Alert Ready is Canada’s emergency alerting system, designed to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alerts through television, radio, and compatible wireless devices.
The system is developed through collaboration between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, Pelmorex, broadcasters, wireless service providers, and partners including Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Pelmorex, the owner of The Weather Network, operates the technical infrastructure component of Alert Ready, that takes the alert information from the Government Issuers and pushes it to Alert Distributors.
As part of this system, The Weather Network plays an important role by distributing Alert Ready messages across its platforms, helping ensure Canadians receive timely and accessible emergency information.
Alert Ready delivers alerts for emergencies such as tornadoes, floods, wildfires, AMBER Alerts, and other imminent threats to life and safety.
Since 2025, the system has delivered more than 946 emergency alert messages across Canada.
Because of its critical role in public safety, Canadians cannot opt out of emergency alerts.
For ongoing updates about the test, follow the official Alert Ready X page.