The City of St. John’s is making it easier for residents to stay informed about important City updates with the launch of Alert St. John’s, powered by Voyent Alert. The new system allows residents to receive notifications by text message, phone call or email. Residents can also download the Voyent Alert! app to receive push notifications and view active alerts on their smartphones.

Alert St. John’s uses location-based notifications, allowing residents to receive information relevant to the places they live, work and spend time. This helps reduce notifications about issues in areas that do not affect them.

“Clear, timely communication is important to keeping residents informed about what’s happening in their community,” said Mayor Danny Breen. “Alert St. John’s makes it easier for residents to access information in a way that works for them, while providing a reliable way to deliver critical information quickly during emergencies.”

Notification categories

When residents register, they are automatically signed up to receive notifications in all categories. These include:

• Emergency: Critical emergency and public safety information, such as evacuation alerts, severe weather, wildfires, major utility interruptions and other significant public safety issues.
• Downtown Street Cleaning: Notifications about overnight street cleaning operations from May to September.
• Downtown Snow Removal: Notifications about overnight snow removal operations on downtown streets.
• Water Service Disruptions: Updates about planned and unplanned interruptions to municipal water service, including hydrant flushing, maintenance and watermain breaks.
• General Notices: Important updates about City activities and services, including closures, cancellations, service disruptions, public engagement opportunities and election information.
• Events and Recreation: Information about City events, festivals, recreation programs, registration dates and changes or cancellations to programs and facilities.
• Roads, Construction and Parking: Updates about major construction projects, traffic changes, road access and seasonal, weather-related or event-related parking restrictions.

Residents can unsubscribe from any category at any time, except emergency alerts.

The new alert system will replace the existing email notification system used to share information about water service disruptions, downtown snow removal, parking bans, street cleaning and other City notices. Subscribers to the City’s existing email notification system will not be automatically migrated to the new system.

There are some notifications that will not be shared through the new system, including general city news like media releases and planning and development applications which will continue to be shared via the existing email system. The City will also continue to use the Curb It app and its existing subscription service for waste and recycling notifications.

Visit StJohns.ca/Alerts to register for Alert St. John’s and learn more about how the system works, including answers to frequently asked questions.

The City of St. John’s has a strategic direction to be a Connected City, building connections that help people feel connected to their neighbourhoods, the broader community, and the city. Alert St. John’s plays a key role in advancing this direction, as well as making information more accessible which aligns with the City’s Accessibility Plan.