Overview

• A McGill University report released July 16 recommends explicitly adding national emergency preparedness and crisis-response roles to CBC’s mandate, drawing on models from other public media.
• Canada’s broadcast and telecom regulator has launched a consultation to strengthen the public alert system by requiring emergency notices on cellphone, cable, satellite, television and radio networks.
• The federal Liberal Party’s election pledge of a $150 million annual funding boost for CBC to deliver consistent life-saving information remains pending implementation.
• Experts propose structural reforms including formal partnerships between CBC and local independent journalists to enhance community-level reporting during disasters, especially in remote regions.
• Researchers warn that false claims by extremist groups during past wildfire events have eroded trust in media at critical moments, underscoring the need for reliable, government-independent alerts.