We're using the Alertable app to send alerts about significant local emergencies.
Alerts deliver information and safety instructions that can be life-saving.
Alertable is for anyone, at any stage of emergency preparedness. When you receive an alert for a significant emergency from the City, you will receive clear and direct instructions on how to stay safe.
Download Alertable
The Alertable app is free and can be downloaded from your mobile phone, tablet, computer, or smart speaker.
It’s easy to get alerts. Just download the free Alertable app for iOS or Android smartphones.
Personalize your settings
After downloading the app, follow the in-app instructions for set up. You will be asked to set your preferences for critical alerts and advisory alerts. Critical alerts are issued for extremely severe events that may require immediate action. Advisory Alerts are issued so you are aware and can prepare for an event.
To change your settings later, open the app and select ‘Settings’ to adjust and personalize alerts and sounds.
The Alertable app is used by various local governments to send alerts. You will also receive geographically relevant alerts from other sources, such as the provincial Alert Ready system, Environment Canada, and Drive BC.
You can manage which types of alerts you would like to receive in the App settings.
Turn off the ‘Advisory’ Alert sound
By turning off the advisory alert sound you will receive the advisory notification, but there will be no sound interruption. You will still be able to view and read the notification.
In the Alertable app, select ‘Settings’. Then, turn OFF the ‘Advisory Alert Sound’.
Important note You will continue to receive critical alerts, which can not be turned off in the app.
Turn off advisories of a specific nature (example: weather)
You can turn off unwanted alert categories. For example, turn off ‘Transportation’ to stop receiving highway advisories from Drive BC, or ‘Weather’ to stop receiving advisories from Environment Canada.
In the Alertable app, select ‘Settings’, and then ‘Advanced Advisory Settings’.
Only receive critical alerts, not advisories
This will ensure you no longer receive advisory alerts of any kind (including advisories from City of Vancouver). This is not recommended.
In the Alertable app, select ‘Settings’, then click that you wish to receive ‘Critical’ alerts, not ‘Critical and Advisory alerts’.
Add at least one location, such as an address, neighbourhood, city, or province. When you add a location, you will receive alerts that are issued for that area.
If you would like to receive any alert sent to any part of the city of Vancouver, add ‘Vancouver, BC, Canada’ as one of your locations.
If you would like to add more locations that are important to you, such as a work location or where a loved one lives, you can add locations in ‘Settings’. If you select multiple locations, you will receive notifications from agencies that issue alerts in those locations.
Follow Me
By turning on ‘Follow Me’, you will receive alerts that are issued for your phone’s current location, even if it is a location you have not self-selected in your settings. You will receive notifications from agencies that issue alerts in those locations.
Important note When visiting other communities or regions, check which system is used locally to issue alerts in case a different public alerting system is used.
Alerts issued through the Alertable app will be used in addition to our standard emergency notification practices, such as door-knocking performed by emergency crews. We use several methods to notify people and provide safety instructions.
The Alertable app will be displayed in the same language as the one set on your device’s system. Alerts and instructions are delivered by the City in English, however users have the option to use the in-app machine translation for more than 30 languages.
Information icon Machine translation is not verified by the City, so accuracy and complete translations may be limited.
The Alertable app complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA.
Alert Ready
Alertable and Alert Ready are not the same. Alert Ready is a Canada-wide system that allows government officials in each province and territory to issue emergency alerts through compatible wireless devices and major television and radio broadcasters.
You do not need an app to receive alerts through the Alert Ready system. In BC, the Alert Ready system will only be used for specific events, such as tsunami warnings.
