Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Gatineau, 19 August 2026
Our reference: 8000-C12-202306860
BY EMAIL
Distribution List
Subject: Request for information - Tornado Alerts – 9 June 2026 – Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba
Commission staff have been informed of reports concerning tornado alerts that were issued in Winnipeg and southern Manitoba on 9 June 2026, in which members of the public reported receiving an unusually high number of wireless emergency alerts.
Commission staff is gathering information on the event, any potential root causes that have been identified, as well as corrective actions that have or will be taken to address these causes.
Accordingly, Commission staff requests that the recipients respond to the questions below, as well as provide any other information or comments on the facts and situation identified in this letter. Please repeat each question in your response.
- Please describe your organization's role in the creation, receipt, processing, or distribution of alerts associated with the severe weather events of 9 June 2026 affecting Winnipeg, southern Manitoba, and surrounding areas.
- Please describe the performance of your system(s) in treating the wireless alerts, as well as indicate whether any reported and/or verified issues occurred, including any instances of over-alerting. Where possible, please include references to any client complaints, system-generated errors, or logs related to the alerts.
- Please identify any procedural, environmental, or technical factors that contributed to the reported over-alerting incident, including but not limited to, those related to timing, targeting, translation, or update messages.
- Please outline any remedial or improvement measures that have been implemented or are planned as a result of this event. In addition, please comment on any possible further improvements to systems, procedures, coordination mechanisms, or alerting practices that could reduce the likelihood of similar events occurring in the future.
Commission staff recognizes the important role that Emergency Management Organizations, alert distributors, and wireless service providers play in the operation of the National Public Alerting System (NPAS). Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation in ensuring the effectiveness of the NPAS.
A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be posted on the Commission’s website.
Please submit your response by Friday 11 September, 2026, 5:00 p.m., Vancouver time. If you have any questions or require additional time, please contact Mr. Michael Crupi at (819) 664-3371 via email at Michael.crupi@crtc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Simon Levasseur
Director, Financial and Multiplatform Technology Analysis
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission
c.c.:
Erik de Groot, ECCC, erik.degroot@ec.gc.ca
Ken Kwok, ECCC, Ken.Kwok@ec.gc.ca
Distribution List
Martin Bélanger, Pelmorex, mbelanger@pelmorex.com
Bell Mobility Inc. (Bell), bell.regulatory@bell.ca
Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (Rogers), regulatory@rci.rogers.com
TELUS Communications Inc. (TELUS), regulatory.affairs@telus.com
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