Albertans will hear the shrill siren of the national emergency alert system today as the province participates in a nationwide test.
The Alert Ready system will sound across Alberta at 1:55 p.m. MT on Wednesday, Nov. 19, interrupting radio, television and compatible mobile devices. The message will clearly identify that it is just a test.
The system is tested twice annually, with the last test conducted on May 7, 2025. Beyond scheduled tests, Alert Ready is frequently used in real emergencies. So far in 2025, it has been activated 896 times across Canada, including 72 times in Alberta.
Alberta’s alerts this year include 45 wildfire warnings, 12 tornado alerts, 12 severe thunderstorm warnings, one AMBER alert, one drinking water advisory, and one 911 service disruption.
Since Alert Ready launched in 2018, Alberta has issued 256 alerts. The annual breakdown shows nine alerts in 2018, 18 in 2019, 24 in 2020, 20 in 2021, 23 in 2022, 45 in 2023, 45 in 2024 and 72 so far in 2025.
“Regular testing is essential to make sure that the system is operating as intended in case of a life‑threatening situation, such as a tornado, fire or AMBER alert,” Alert Ready said in a statement.
Public Safety Canada describes the system as part of the country’s National Public Alerting System, “which provides emergency management organizations across the country with the capability to rapidly warn the public of imminent or unfolding hazards to life.”
Alert Ready was launched nationally in 2018 and has since become a critical tool for warning Canadians about severe weather, natural disasters, and possible child abductions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2025.