A new local emergency alert system is expected to replace the system currently used by Haida Gwaii municipalities, band councils, and the North Coast Regional District (NCRD).
Voyent Alert, like the e-Pact system it will replace, can notify Haida Gwaii residents about emergencies such as tsunami or wildfires.
Voyent Alert can also send non-emergency alerts, such as notices about road closures, water advisories, or reminders about public meetings and garbage pick-up schedules. Other features of Voyent include two-way communication, message scheduling, geofencing, media alerts, multi-channel delivery, and functionality on mobile devices.
The All-Islands Emergency Planning Committee, which includes all local and First Nation governments on Haida Gwaii, recommended that all Haida Gwaii communities make the switch before the e-Pact system subscription term ends on July 31.
A report by NCRD staff notes that users and administrators of ePact on Haida Gwaii have had problems with registering, alerts going outside the intended area, back-end user challenges, as well as meeting user data management and legal requirements.
