Canada activates Earthquake Early Warning System in Quebec and Ontario

An new Earthquake Early Warning system is now operational in Quebec and eastern Ontario.

The system detects earthquakes using a network of over 200 sensors established in Quebec and Ontario. If a potentially harmful earthquake is detected, an alert will automatically be issued through the National Public Alerting System for distribution by broadcasters and wireless carriers to people in the affected area, seconds to tens of seconds before strong shaking arrives.

There is also a plan in the works for Natural Resources Canada to deliver detailed messages to critical infrastructure operators. These warnings allow operators in Ontario and Quebec to initiate protective measures automatically.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson said, “Supporting the safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and scientific advancements, the EEW system is providing residents of Quebec and eastern Ontario with the critical seconds they need to take protective action during an earthquake. This system is a significant step forward in building a safer, more resilient Canada.”

The timing of when an alert is received depends on several factors, including the distance from the earthquake and the method of receipt. Sites very close to an earthquake’s epicentre may be in the events “late alert zone,” where alerts may arrive after the shaking starts because the potentially damaging seismic waves arrive at the same time as, or even before, the alert message can be sent by the system and received by the public. Some people may feel an earthquake but not receive an alert because they are outside the designated warning zone, where strong and harmful shaking is predicted — in other words, because the shaking is too weak to trigger an alert.

The same system became operational in western British Columbia in May 2024.