On November 25th at 9:55 a.m., the GNWT will issue a live test of NWT Alert, the NWT’s public alerting system. Residents may see and hear the public alert test on wireless devices, radio stations and cable networks across the territory. NWT Alert is being developed to provide public alerts to residents during emergencies and disasters and is part of the national public alerting system “Alert Ready”. The NWT system is currently under development with implementation expected in 2021.
The GNWT notes that not all residents will receive the test alert on their device. This may occur for a variety of reasons such as device compatibility, connection to an LTE network, cell tower coverage, device software and settings. The public is encouraged to check their device compatibility with their wireless service provider and ensure that their device has the latest software update installed.
The CRTC has set the target that 100% of new devices currently available for sale in Canada as of April 2019 be compatible and able to receive emergency alerts. Over time, more residents will have devices that are compatible and will be able to receive emergency alerts.
