An alert will ring on the cell phones of many Canadians on Wednesday, as the national public alert system “On Alert” is tested almost everywhere in the country.
For the first time, a survey will be carried out after the test. Its objective is to identify the challenges faced by people with disabilities in perceiving, understanding and interacting with emergency alerts.
In Quebec, the system test is scheduled for 1:55 p.m. At this time, television and radio broadcasts will be interrupted by a message and compatible mobile phones will receive an alert. However, it will be clearly stated that this is a test and that no emergency situation is in effect.
The “On Alert” system is used when an emergency situation must be communicated to the population as a priority. This could be an Amber Alert, the presence of an active shooter, or the imminent arrival of a dangerous weather system, for example.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires that an alert test be conducted annually, either in May or November. The tests validate the effectiveness and reliability of the system, but also increase public awareness of the system.
Elsewhere in the country, testing will take place at 12:55 p.m. in Ontario, 10:55 a.m. (NT) in Newfoundland and Labrador, 10:55 a.m. (AST) in New Brunswick, 12:55 p.m. (AST) in Prince Edward Island and at 1:55 p.m. (AST) in Nova Scotia.
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