Canadians in most provinces and territories will receive a test alert from the Alert Ready system on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. This nationwide test is part of Emergency Preparedness Week, running from May 3-9, and aims to ensure the system functions correctly in the event of an actual emergency.
The Alert Ready system delivers critical and potentially life-saving alerts to Canadians via television, radio, and compatible wireless devices. These alerts include warnings for weather emergencies like tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, as well as AMBER Alerts and other urgent notifications. The test message will simulate an emergency alert, beginning with the Canadian Alert Attention Signal and clearly indicating that it is a test, so no action is required.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) mandates that wireless service providers and broadcasters issue at least one public test alert annually, typically in May during Emergency Preparedness Week, or in November. Participation in the Alert Ready test is determined by each province and territory. The test helps validate the system's reliability across broadcasters, wireless service providers, and emergency management organizations, while also providing operational practice for issuing emergency alerts.
While most provinces will participate in the test today, Ontario's test is scheduled for Thursday. Quebec and Saskatchewan do not have a test time scheduled. The Alert Ready system has issued 28 alerts in Canada as of April 30, for various emergencies, highlighting its importance in ensuring public safety.
