In an effort to improve the safety and security of Canadians and Canadian communities, the federal, provincial and territorial governments have taken an active role to support the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s decision enabling Pelmorex Communications Inc., parent company of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia, to make emergency alerts available to broadcasters across Canada.
“The Weather Network and MétéoMédia have a long history of distributing Environment Canada’s weather warnings to Canadians over our media properties,” said Pierre Morrissette, Chairman and CEO, Pelmorex. “Our NAAD System builds on that partnership to enable critical public safety messages from any public authority to reach Canadians quickly and safely.”
In an event staged at The Weather Network television and digital media facilities in Oakville, ON today, the Honourable Vic Toews, Canada’s Public Safety Minister, accompanied by the Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment, announced the participation of Environment Canada in the National Alert Aggregation and Dissemination (NAAD) System.
It is anticipated that Environment Canada will provide over 80% of the overall NAAD System content.
“Canadians understand the impact that severe weather has on all of us,” said Minister Kent. “The NAAD System, as well as the recent investments our government has made in Environment Canada weather monitoring infrastructure, which will feed crucial information into the NAAD system through improved weather warnings, clearly demonstrates that this government takes the protection of Canadians, their families, and their property, very seriously.”
“I am pleased to be here today to see this demonstration of the NAAD System which will provide an extra measure of public safety to Canadians. This new system has incredible potential to improve public safety by alerting Canadians to the danger at the earliest possible moment,” said Minister Toews. “My provincial and territorial colleagues are to be congratulated for their work to bring this system to life. Several have undertaken necessary legislative changes, upgraded their technology, and made considerable investments to ensure Canadians within their jurisdiction will have access to provincial/territorial alerts through the NAAD System.”
For more information on emergency management in Canada, visit www.publicsafety.gc.ca or www.getprepared.gc.ca.