Canada’s rural and Indigenous communities face gaps in NPAS reach due to unreliable cellular service and infrastructure, prompting calls to upgrade coverage with ISPs and ensure alerts reach remote areas, highways, and Indigenous regions.

CRTC is reviewing NPAS with a federal funding plan to overhaul it, including 55.4 million over four years starting in 2026-27 and 13.4 million annually for Public Safety Canada.

The James Bay Cree Communications Society cites the 2023 Quebec wildfires where no federal or provincial alerts reached Mistissini and describes how Cree networks disseminated information in Cree and English, urging co-governance and locally language-accessible alerting.

The Mass Casualty Commission’s recommendations and ongoing intergovernmental discussions are driving a formal renewal process, with a formal request for information already issued to guide reforms.

The 2020 Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission findings underscored the need for a fundamental NPAS review to align with the government’s duty to warn during emergencies.

Historical context ties the Nova Scotia inquiry to renewed calls for comprehensive NPAS reforms to meet legal warning responsibilities.

The Commission’s findings after the 2020 shootings have sparked renewed pushes for a fundamental NPAS review and potential reforms to meet the government’s warning duty.

The story was published December 22, 2025, by The Canadian Press, drawing on multiple submissions and government updates.

Public Safety officials have issued a formal request for information to guide NPAS renewal and are engaging with stakeholders to sustain a nationwide alerting capability.

Public Safety will continue stakeholder consultations as it leads the NPAS renewal to maintain a sustainable public alerting system across Canada.

Officials emphasize ongoing collaboration with stakeholders to keep the national alerting capability effective over the long term.

A June 2025 memo notes the current alerting arrangement is not viable due to declines in cable/satellite subscribers and calls for federal action to ensure continuity, accountability, resilience, and consistent use within the CRTC framework.