June 27, 2023 Vancouver, British Columbia Natural Resources Canada
Across Canada, natural disasters such as floods, landslides, wildfires and earthquakes affect the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Canadians. The Government of Canada, along with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners are committed to working together to strengthen mitigation, preparedness and response efforts to natural disasters like earthquakes and ensure the safety of everyone who lives in at-risk regions of Canada.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, announced funding for Tel Aviv University (TAU) to develop software aimed at improving Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems that include arrays of sensor stations. This announcement is part of a suite of initiatives being brought forward by the Government of Canada to strengthen the safety, security and resilience of Canada's emergency readiness infrastructure. Tel Aviv University was chosen for this project as it is the recognized world leader in the field of small-aperture seismic arrays that can improve EEW performance for cross-border and offshore events and is a responsible choice for the safety of Canadians, given Tel Aviv's global leadership in this field.
Building on NRCan's long history as the authoritative source for earthquake information for Canada, NRCan's EEW system will provide notification of earthquakes through a network of sensors and alerting systems for at-risk areas around the country. The EEW system provides seconds to minutes of notice before strong shaking starts, warnings that can help reduce injuries, deaths and property losses.
The EEW system was developed by Tel Aviv University in collaboration with SeismicAI, an Israeli high tech company specializing in EEW technology. SeismicAI has an exclusive licence for the system and has successfully deployed and tested it across the world. This project with Tel Aviv University aims to enhance the performance of EEW systems, particularly in coastal and border regions where traditional EEW sensor station grids are challenging to deploy. These regions may experience high seismic risks, which require tailored approaches to ensure effective early warning.
The development of array-based EEW methodologies for use with the internationally utilized USGS EEW software system will help address the limitations faced in coastal and border regions, where traditional EEW sensor station grids are challenging to deploy. By incorporating Tel Aviv University's methodologies, the enhanced EEW system may provide more comprehensive coverage and earlier alerts, allowing people in at-risk regions more time to take proactive measures, such as "drop, cover, and hold on," before the arrival of strong shaking from earthquakes.
With integrated innovative technologies and methodologies, an enhanced EEW system will provide more accurate and timely alerts, enabling individuals, communities and critical infrastructure operators to take proactive measures and minimize the impact of seismic events.
