When an emergency strikes, every second counts. Having pre-approved SMS templates ready to send eliminates the delay of composing messages under pressure and reduces the risk of missing critical compliance requirements.
These 12 templates are designed for Canadian organizations and include bilingual English/French versions. Each template includes CASL-compliant opt-out language, sender identification, and character/segment counts so you know exactly what to expect when sending.
Weather & Natural Disaster Templates
1Weather Closure
[OrgName] ALERT: Due to [weather event], [facility] is CLOSED today [date]. Staff are not to report. Updates at [URL]. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
[NomOrg] ALERTE: En raison de [evenement meteo], [installation] est FERME(E) aujourd'hui [date]. Le personnel ne doit pas se presenter. Mises a jour a [URL]. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][weather event][facility][date][URL]2Severe Weather Warning
[OrgName] WARNING: Environment Canada has issued a [alert type] for [area]. [Action required]. Stay safe. Reply STOP to opt out.
[NomOrg] AVERTISSEMENT: Environnement Canada a emis une [type d'alerte] pour [secteur]. [Mesure requise]. Soyez prudent. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][alert type][area][Action required]3Power Outage
[OrgName] NOTICE: Power outage at [location]. Estimated restore: [time]. Essential services on backup power. Updates to follow. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
[NomOrg] AVIS: Panne de courant a [lieu]. Retablissement prevu: [heure]. Services essentiels sur alimentation de secours. Mises a jour a suivre. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][location][time]Security & Safety Templates
4Lockdown
[OrgName] LOCKDOWN: Lock all doors, stay away from windows, remain in place until all-clear. Do NOT call 911 unless you see the threat. Updates to follow.
[NomOrg] CONFINEMENT: Verrouillez toutes les portes, eloignez-vous des fenetres, restez sur place jusqu'a l'autorisation. N'appelez PAS le 911 sauf si vous voyez la menace. Mises a jour a suivre.
[OrgName]5Evacuation
[OrgName] EVACUATE: Evacuate [building] immediately via [routes]. Proceed to [muster point]. Do NOT use elevators. Reply STOP to opt out.
[NomOrg] EVACUATION: Evacuez [batiment] immediatement par [itineraires]. Rendez-vous a [point de rassemblement]. N'utilisez PAS les ascenseurs. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][building][routes][muster point]6All-Clear
[OrgName] ALL CLEAR: The [lockdown/evacuation] at [location] has been lifted. Normal operations resume at [time]. Thank you for your cooperation.
[NomOrg] FIN D'ALERTE: Le [confinement/evacuation] a [lieu] a ete leve. Les operations normales reprennent a [heure]. Merci de votre cooperation.
[OrgName][lockdown/evacuation][location][time]Operational Templates
7Facility Closure
[OrgName]: [Facility] will be closed [date] for [reason]. Expected reopening: [date]. Contact [phone] for questions. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
[NomOrg]: [Installation] sera ferme(e) le [date] pour [raison]. Reouverture prevue: [date]. Contactez le [telephone] pour toute question. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][Facility][date][reason][phone]8Shift Change Alert
[OrgName] SHIFT: Your shift on [date] has been [changed/cancelled]. New time: [time]. Please confirm by replying YES. Reply STOP to opt out.
[NomOrg] QUART: Votre quart du [date] a ete [modifie/annule]. Nouvelle heure: [heure]. Veuillez confirmer en repondant OUI. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][date][changed/cancelled][time]9Equipment / System Downtime
[OrgName] NOTICE: [System] will be offline [date] from [time]-[time] for maintenance. Plan accordingly. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
[NomOrg] AVIS: [Systeme] sera hors ligne le [date] de [heure] a [heure] pour maintenance. Planifiez en consequence. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[OrgName][System][date][time]Healthcare-Specific Templates
10Code Blue / Emergency
[Hospital] CODE [color] at [location]. [Specific team] respond immediately. All others maintain current positions. This is not a drill.
[Hopital] CODE [couleur] a [lieu]. [Equipe concernee] intervenez immediatement. Tous les autres maintenez vos positions. Ceci n'est pas un exercice.
[Hospital][color][location][Specific team]11On-Call Callback
[Hospital] URGENT: Dr. [Name], you are needed in [department]. Please call [number] immediately or reply ETA.
[Hopital] URGENT: Dr [Nom], votre presence est requise en [departement]. Veuillez appeler le [numero] immediatement ou repondre avec votre HPA.
[Hospital][Name][department][number]Education-Specific Template
12Parent Notification
[School] ALERT: A [hold-and-secure/lockdown] has been initiated at [school name]. All students are safe. Police are on scene. Do NOT come to the school. Updates will follow. Reply STOP to opt out.
[Ecole] ALERTE: Un [confinement barricade/confinement] a ete declenche a [nom de l'ecole]. Tous les eleves sont en securite. La police est sur place. Ne venez PAS a l'ecole. Des mises a jour suivront. Repondez ARRET pour vous desabonner.
[School][hold-and-secure/lockdown][school name]Download our free School Emergency Communication Plan Template for a fill-in-the-blank plan that includes roles, protocols, contact list templates, and an annual review checklist aligned with Ontario PPM 161 requirements.
Compliance Notes
All templates in this document are designed with Canadian regulatory compliance in mind. Here is what you need to know before using them:
CASL (Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation)
- Sender identification: Every template begins with the organization name in square brackets. Under CASL, all commercial electronic messages must clearly identify the sender.
- Opt-out mechanism: Most templates include “Reply STOP to unsubscribe” (English) and “Répondez ARRET pour vous désabonner” (French). CASL requires a functional unsubscribe mechanism in every commercial message.
- Transactional exemption: Emergency life-safety messages (such as lockdowns and evacuations) may qualify as transactional messages under CASL and are exempt from consent and unsubscribe requirements. However, this exemption should be confirmed with legal counsel for your specific use case.
- Consent records: CASL requires organizations to maintain proof of consent (express or implied) for every recipient. AlertBolt automatically maintains auditable consent records with timestamps, source, and method.
- Opt-out processing: CASL requires opt-outs to be processed within 10 business days. AlertBolt processes STOP requests instantly and automatically.
Bilingual Requirements
- Federal organizations and organizations in Quebec must provide French-language communications.
- French immersion and francophone school boards should use the French templates as the primary version.
- Consider your audience: if you have a bilingual contact list, send messages in the recipient's preferred language when known, or send both versions.
Healthcare Templates
- Templates 10 and 11 are designed for internal staff communication only and should never be sent to patients or the public.
- These templates intentionally avoid any personal health information (PHI) to comply with PHIPA (Ontario), HIA (Alberta), and PIPEDA.
- Healthcare organizations should conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) before implementing any SMS notification program.
Customization Guidelines
- Replace all placeholder fields (shown in [square brackets]) with your organization's actual information before saving templates.
- Test every template by sending it to yourself first to verify character count, segment count, and formatting.
- Keep messages concise. Shorter messages cost fewer credits and are more likely to be read completely.
- Review and update templates at least annually or whenever your organization's emergency procedures change.
Use These Templates in AlertBolt
AlertBolt lets you save pre-approved templates with placeholder fields that auto-fill at send time. Set up your emergency templates once and send compliant alerts in seconds.
Start Free 14-Day Trial