New earthquake warning system launched in Ontario and Quebec

A new early-warning system in Ontario and Quebec may give residents the “critical seconds” they need to survive an earthquake.

The Earthquake Early Warning System (EEW) that supports earthquake preparedness efforts in Quebec and eastern Ontario is now operational.

The EEW system detects earthquakes by using a network of over 200 sensors, said Natural Resources Canada in a news release. These earthquake-detection sensors send timely alerts to mobile devices in affected areas.

The sensors now cover both eastern Ontario and Quebec, sending alerts through the National Public Alerting System “tens of seconds” before an earthquake hits.

“Seismic risks are very real in Quebec, and the early earthquake warning system provides us with a valuable tool for enhancing public safety in the event of an earthquake,” said Quebec’s minister of public security, Ian Lafrenière.

There are three seismic zones in Quebec according to the government website.

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EEW alerts function similarly to tornado and amber alerts, warning people to shelter and protect themselves from an incoming earthquake.

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Tim Hodgson, the federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, says that the EEW system is providing residents of Quebec and eastern Ontario with “the critical seconds” they need to protect themselves during an earthquake.

“This system is a significant step forward in building a safer, more resilient Canada,” said Hodgson in the release.

National Resources Canada is working to include “critical infrastructure operators” in the EEW messaging system. Currently, the National Public Alerting System sends messages to broadcasters and wireless carriers for distribution to people in affected areas.

The early-warning system is not new to Canada, however. EEW has operated in western British Columbia since 2024.