OTTAWA–GATINEAU – Canada’s new emergency alert system may have officially launched this week, but it can’t reach all Canadians after some of the country’s biggest TV service providers, including Bell and Shaw, have delayed its full rollout.
Known as Alert Ready, the system notifies Canadians of emergency situations over their radios and through their televisions. Issued by emergency management officials such as fire marshals, police officers and public health personnel, the alerts are meant to warn the public of dangers to life and property, like severe weather, water contamination and industrial disasters, as well as Amber Alerts.
While all cable and satellite companies, radio stations, over-the-air television stations and video-on-demand services were given the deadline of March 31, 2015 to begin relaying emergency alert messages, the CRTC said that Bell, Bell Aliant, MTS, Shaw and Sogetel claim that they are unable to issue the alerts to some of their subscribers, and requested extensions of up to one year.
The Commission responded that the private broadcasting industry “has had more than enough time to prepare”, noting that it urged industry participation in the National Alert Aggregation and Dissemination System implemented in 2010, and that it made this week’s deadline mandatory for broadcasters and television service providers last August.
“We have been working since 2010 to improve the security of Canadians”, said CRTC chairman and CEO Jean-Pierre Blais, in a statement. “However, we will not hide our disappointment that certain television service providers are not ready, despite having been given more than enough time by the CRTC. We will monitor them closely to ensure they come into compliance as quickly as possible. For the CRTC, it is of the utmost importance that all measures be employed to protect the lives of Canadians.”
The Commission said that it “reluctantly” granted the five companies an extension of no more than six months, and directed Bell, Bell Aliant, MTS, Shaw and Sogetel to issue notices to their subscribers to inform them of this delay. The companies will also be required to submit “frequent progress reports to the CRTC regarding their compliance”.
“Customers of these companies may want to contact them and ask to have access to alert messages”, Blais continued. “Depending on their response, Canadians may want to consider changing providers to ensure they can receive emergency alert messages when they watch television. We remind Canadians that they no longer have to give 30-days advance notice to change providers.”
Campus, community-based and Aboriginal broadcasters have until March 31, 2016 to rollout the system.
A $2 million national integrated marketing campaign, including bilingual public service announcements (PSAs) across radio, TV and digital advertisements, will begin on April 6 to raise awareness of Alert Ready. The new website AlertReady.ca is available now with additional information about the type of alerts Canadians will receive, examples of the alert notifications, links to provincial and territorial emergency preparedness resources, and videos to help Canadians be prepared for emergencies.
Alert Ready’s distribution infrastructure is operated by Pelmorex Media Inc., the parent company of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia, and developed in partnership with federal, provincial and territorial emergency management officials, Environment Canada and the broadcast industry.
“Canada’s broadcast industry has worked together with the federal, provincial and territorial governments to ensure alerts about potentially life-threatening events are quickly delivered to affected communities,” said Paul Temple, Pelmorex Media’s SVP regulatory affairs, in a statement. “Alert Ready benefits all Canadians by giving everyone immediate exposure to important, life-saving information, allowing them to take action and protect themselves, their families and property.”
