Alert Ready

Alert Ready is Canada’s emergency notification system. It delivers critical and potentially life-saving alerts to Canadians through television, radio and LTE-connected and compatible wireless devices in geo-targeted alert areas. These alerts are issued when there is an immediate threat to life or property and helps ensure that Ontarians have the critical information they need to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families during an emergency.

What Types of Alerts are Broadcast?

Alerts can be sent for the following types of incidents:

  • Civil (AMBER Alert, civil emergency, animal danger, 9-1-1 service)
  • Fire (urban fire, industrial fire, wildfire, forest fire)
  • Biological (biological, chemical, radiological, drinking water contamination)
  • Hazardous (explosive)
  • Environmental (air quality, falling object)
  • Natural (tornado, flash flood, earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, thunderstorm, storm surge, landslide, dam overflow, magnetic storm, meteorite, lahar, pyroclastic flow, pyroclastic surge, volcanic ash)
  • National Security (terrorist threat)
  • Administrative (test message)

How Often are Alerts Broadcast?

In 2023, a total of 1,086 alerts were broadcast across Canada. Ontario received 268 alerts as follows:

  • 2 civil emergencies
  • 2 AMBER alerts
  • 17 thunderstorms
  • 246 tornadoes
  • 1,911 service

Alert Ready Emergency Alert System Testing

The Alert Ready system is tested twice per year in each province. Residents can expect to hear the Alert Ready tone on their cellular phones, radio and/or television as the system is tested.

The 2025 Alert Ready system test dates in Ontario are as follows:

  • Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 12:55 p.m.

Further details regarding the Alert Ready Emergency Alert System can be found on the Alert Ready website: https://www.alertready.ca.

Enhanced Community Notification Service (eCNS)

The Enhanced Community Notification Service (eCNS) is an emergency telephone notification service for landline phones. In the event of a major disaster or catastrophe, the service will phone affected households and businesses in the Region of Halton.

eCNS complements the Region’s existing notification system, the Community Emergency Notification Service (CENS). In the event of an emergency, CENS will phone affected households throughout Halton. CENS is one of many ways the Region notifies the public about an emergency situation.

Further details about eCNS and CENS can be found on the Region of Halton’s website:
https://www.halton.ca/For-Residents/Emergency-Preparedness/Emergency-Alerts-and-Public-Information

Contact Information

Cst. Steve Elms #5472
Emergency Planner
Steve.Elms@haltonpolice.ca
905-825-4777 ext. 5267