Stay Informed

In the event of an emergency, social media and Vic-Alert will play a key role in communicating updates to the public.

For emergency updates follow:

City of Victoria on Twitter and Facebook

EmergencyInfoBC on Twitter – active during provincial emergencies

For helpful emergency preparedness tips and recovery information follow:

Follow VictoriaReady on Twitter and Facebook
Prepareyourself.ca on Twitter
PreparedBC on Twitter

Sign Up for Vic-Alert

Vic-Alert is the City of Victoria's free emergency notification service and is now powered by Alertable. Vic-Alert informs subscribers of major emergencies or disasters in Victoria that may impact you. Signing up for Vic-Alert is easy and can be done from your mobile phone, tablet, or computer. There is no fee to sign up.

Vic-Alert provides you with important emergency information such as imminent threats (e.g. tsunamis) and local incidents that affect specific areas of Victoria (e.g. gas leak). Alertable has the ability to send emergency notifications city-wide or to targeted areas, which can be helpful for neighbourhood-specific emergency directions such as an evacuation.

 

                                         

How to Sign Up with 3 Easy Options

Here are three easy steps to sign up for Vic-Alert powered by Alertable:

  • Sign up for the Alertable app using the buttons above for Android and iOS - the app offers more features than the other sign-up options such as maps, pictures, and additional incident details, therefore, we highly recommend signing up for the app.  
  • Sign up for text or email alerts using the blue box below. You can sign up with as many email addresses or phone numbers as you would like, but you can only add one at a time. If you would like to receive both text message and email emergency notifications, please add one, wait for the confirmation code to be sent to you, and then add another. 
  • To sign up for alerts via phone call, please use the 'Click here' option below the text number box below. This will change the text message section in the blue box to add your phone number. Again, you can add as many phone numbers as you would like, but they must be entered one at a time. 

Click here [PDF - 389 KB] for more detailed instructions on signing up using the options above. 

If you have any questions, please email VicAlert@victoria.ca.

 

  1. Other ways to receive Vic-Alert notifications

    You can also install the Alertable skill and action for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant home devices, sign up using Facebook, follow Alertable on Twitter, and/or connect with Alertable directly on Facebook Messenger. Choose any combination that is right for you.

     

  2. Frequently Asked Questions

    When I enter my phone number, it says ‘invalid phone number’, why?

    When entering your phone number to receive Vic-Alerts by text message, make sure that you do not put a 1 in front of the number or use dashes (-) between the numbers. If you would like to receive a phone call rather than a text message for emergency notifications, please use the appropriate ‘click here’ button above.

    Can I register more than one phone number or email address?

    Yes, you can register as many phone numbers and email addresses as you would like.

    Do I have to pay to receive phone or text notifications?

    No, the service is completely free of charge.

    How do I unsubscribe from receiving emails?

    To unsubscribe from email notifications, go to the signup form (blue box) on this page. Select 'Existing Subscriber' and enter your email address and click/tap 'Sign In'. Enter the access code that will be sent to your email address. Select 'Close Account' and confirm that you no longer want to receive email notifications.

    How do I unregister my phone number?

    To unsubscribe from SMS or phone notifications, go to the signup form (blue box) on this page.  Select 'Existing Subscriber' and enter your phone number and click/tap 'Sign In'.  Enter the access code that will be sent to your phone number. Select 'Close Account' and confirm that you no longer want to receive email notifications.

    How do I receive alerts if my mobile phone is on silent?

    The best way to ensure that you hear notifications even when your mobile phone’s volume is off is to download the Alertable app and turn on ‘Override Silent Mode’. Vic-Alert uses multiple phone numbers to send emergency notifications to ensure that subscribers receive notifications right away; there is no longer a contact number that can be saved in your contacts to bypass the ‘Do Not Disturb’ function.

    To see additional FAQs, please visit the Alertable FAQ page here.

  3. About the Provincial Alerting System

    British Columbia’s wireless public alerting system is called ‘Alert Ready’ and does not replace the need for Vic-Alert. It is estimated that only 30% of smartphones are currently compatible with provincial notifications, which communicate general tsunami notification information only and is not specific to Victoria. For more information on Alert Ready, visit Emergency Info BC.

    Local governments are responsible for notifying citizens of emergencies that may impact them. The City of Victoria can deliver neighbourhood-specific information on emergencies such as gas leaks, boil water advisories, evacuation, etc. using Vic-Alert.

  4. Privacy Note

    Due to privacy laws in British Columbia, notifications can only be sent to a private phone or email when a citizen grants permission, which is why Vic-Alert is a subscriber-based service. All personal contact information provided will remain confidential and will not be used for any other purpose. Please see the link to Alertable’s privacy policy here.