Canada Earthquakes – Current Map & Latest Seismic Activity

Canada Earthquake Monitoring Map

This page shows the latest earthquakes in Canada using USGS earthquake data. The interactive map displays recent earthquakes of magnitude 1.5+ across western Canada, eastern Canada, the Arctic, and offshore Canadian regions. Counts and lists update when the page loads or refreshes. Each coloured circle represents an earthquake location. Click any marker to see details including magnitude, location, time, and depth. Use the time filter buttons to view earthquakes from the last hour, 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days.

About Canada Earthquakes

Canada has more earthquakes than many people realize. Most are small, remote, or too deep to notice, but the country is not earthquake-free by any stretch. There are more than 5,000 earthquakes in Canada each year (about 14 per day, on average). Of those, around 50 are generally felt by people.

Earthquake activity is highest in western Canada, especially offshore British Columbia, Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, the Cascadia Subduction Zone, Yukon, and northwestern Canada, but earthquakes also occur in eastern Canada, the Arctic, and offshore Atlantic Canada.

Canada’s earthquake activity comes from a few very different sources. On the west coast, active plate boundaries around the Pacific, North American, Juan de Fuca, and Explorer plates produce Cascadia megathrust earthquakes, Queen Charlotte/Haida Gwaii strike-slip earthquakes, and deeper in-slab events. Western Canada is the country’s most earthquake-prone region, with more than 1,000 earthquakes recorded each year, and more than 100 magnitude 5+ earthquakes west of Vancouver Island in the past 70 or so years.

Eastern Canada is a different story. It’s what scientists call a stable continental region (SCR) and is far from today’s active plate boundaries. But that doesn’t mean it is earthquake-free. Old zones of weakness in the crust can still be reactivated, and the cold, rigid rock in this part of the continent lets earthquake waves travel a long way. That is why a moderate earthquake in Quebec or eastern Ontario can sometimes be felt across a surprisingly large area.

There is also a third category worth mentioning: induced seismicity, especially in parts of Alberta and northeastern B.C., where some earthquakes have been linked to wastewater disposal and hydraulic fracturing. Most are small, but a few have exceeded magnitude 4–5 and attracted scientific and regulatory attention.

Canada’s largest instrumentally recorded earthquake was the 1949 Haida Gwaii earthquake, about M8.1, on the Queen Charlotte Fault. The largest known earthquake to affect Canada was even bigger: the January 26, 1700 Cascadia megathrust earthquake, estimated around M9, which ruptured about 1,000 km from mid-Vancouver Island to northern California and sent a tsunami across the Pacific. Cascadia events are rare, but they are one of Canada’s most serious long-term earthquake hazards.

Geologic records show that major Cascadia ruptures happen on irregular timescales of a few hundred to many hundreds of years, so although they’re rare, they’re potentially catastrophic.

Major Earthquake Zones in Canada

Canada’s earthquake zones vary a lot by region. The west coast has the greatest potential for very large earthquakes, while eastern Canada has older seismic zones where moderate earthquakes can still be widely felt.

• Cascadia Subduction Zone: Canada’s largest potential earthquake source. Located offshore Vancouver Island, Cascadia is where the Juan de Fuca Plate dives beneath the North American Plate. It is capable of magnitude 9 megathrust earthquakes, including the January 26, 1700 event.
• Queen Charlotte Fault / Haida Gwaii Region: A major strike-slip fault system along Canada’s Pacific margin. The 1949 M8.1 Haida Gwaii earthquake occurred on this system, and the region remains highly active.
• Vancouver Island and Coastal British Columbia: One of the highest-risk earthquake areas in Canada, affected by offshore plate boundaries, crustal faults, and the nearby Cascadia Subduction Zone. The Vancouver region also places major population centres, ports, bridges, schools, hospitals, and lifeline infrastructure within one of Canada’s highest seismic-hazard areas.
• Yukon and St. Elias Region: A highly active seismic region shaped by complex plate-boundary deformation near Alaska and northwestern Canada. Some of Canada’s largest historic earthquakes have occurred near this region.
• Western Quebec Seismic Zone: Includes the Ottawa–Gatineau–Montreal corridor. Earthquakes here are usually smaller than major west-coast events, but they can be felt across a wide area because eastern Canadian crust transmits seismic energy efficiently.
• Charlevoix-Kamouraska Seismic Zone: One of eastern Canada’s most active and historically important earthquake zones, located along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. Earthquakes Canada identifies Charlevoix as the most seismically active region of eastern Canada.
• Lower St. Lawrence Seismic Zone: A zone of repeated moderate earthquake activity along the lower St. Lawrence River valley.
• Northern Appalachians: Includes much of New Brunswick and nearby regions. The 1982 Miramichi earthquake is one of the significant events associated with this region.
• Laurentian Slope and Offshore Newfoundland: The region of the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake, which triggered a submarine landslide and deadly tsunami affecting Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula.
• Arctic and Baffin Bay Region: Northern Canada is not earthquake-free. The 1933 Baffin Bay earthquake, listed by Earthquakes Canada as one of Canada’s ten largest earthquakes, reached magnitude 7.3.
• Interior Western Canada: Includes parts of Alberta and northeastern British Columbia where both natural earthquakes and induced seismicity have been recorded.

Earthquake Risk in Canada

Western Canada: The Highest Hazard

British Columbia has the highest earthquake hazard in Canada because it sits beside active plate boundaries. The risk is not just from one kind of earthquake either. Coastal British Columbia can experience shallow crustal earthquakes, deep earthquakes within the subducting plate, strike-slip earthquakes along the Queen Charlotte Fault system, and rare but very large Cascadia megathrust earthquakes.

The Cascadia megathrust is the scenario that receives the most attention because of its possible size. Earthquakes Canada says the 1700 rupture extended roughly 1,000 km and generated a tsunami that crossed the Pacific. Cascadia events are rare, but when they happen, they can affect a huge area.

Eastern Canada: Lower Frequency, Wider Felt Areas

Eastern Canada has lower earthquake frequency than coastal British Columbia, but that does not mean “no risk.” Earthquakes in Quebec, eastern Ontario, New Brunswick, and offshore Atlantic Canada can be felt across surprisingly large distances. This is because seismic waves tend to travel more efficiently through the older, harder crust of eastern North America.

The Charlevoix-Kamouraska region is especially important. It has produced large historic earthquakes and remains one of eastern Canada’s most active seismic zones.

Soil Amplification and Local Ground Conditions

The size of an earthquake is not the only thing that matters. Local ground conditions can make shaking worse in some places than others.

Earthquake magnitude is only part of the story. A small quake may be felt nearby, while a larger one can cause little damage if it is deep, far offshore, or in an area with strong bedrock. As a rough guide, the numbers below show what different magnitude ranges usually mean in Canada.

Soft sediments, river deltas, and sensitive marine clays can increase shaking compared with nearby bedrock sites. This matters in places like the Fraser River Delta near Metro Vancouver, parts of the Ottawa Valley, and the St. Lawrence lowlands. Two people can be the same distance from an earthquake but feel very different shaking depending on what kind of ground they are standing on.

This is one reason earthquake hazard is not just about the nearest fault. Buildings, bridges, pipelines, ports, and emergency routes can all be affected by the way local soils respond to shaking.

Tsunami Risk

Canada also has tsunami risk, especially along the British Columbia coast. A large Cascadia megathrust earthquake could generate a local tsunami that reaches some coastal areas quickly. Distant tsunamis from elsewhere in the Pacific can also affect the coast.

Atlantic Canada has its own tsunami history. On November 18, 1929, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake south of Newfoundland triggered an underwater landslide and tsunami. Earthquakes Canada states that the tsunami killed 28 people on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula, making it Canada’s largest documented loss of life directly related to an earthquake.

If you are on the coast and feel strong or long-lasting shaking, move inland or to higher ground once the shaking stops. Do not wait around to “see what happens.”

Building Codes and Seismic Hazard

Canada’s seismic hazard values help guide earthquake-resistant design in the National Building Code of Canada. Earthquakes Canada provides seismic hazard tools used for building-code applications, including hazard values from the 2020 National Seismic Hazard Model.

That does not mean every building is equally safe. Newer buildings are generally designed with modern seismic requirements in mind, but older buildings may not meet the same standards. This is especially important in higher-risk areas and in places with softer soils.

Historical Major Earthquakes in Canada

Canada has experienced major earthquakes on the west coast, in the north, and in eastern Canada. Some happened in remote areas. Others caused damage, deaths, landslides, or tsunamis.

• 1700 Cascadia Megathrust Earthquake, estimated around M9: The largest known earthquake to affect Canada. The rupture occurred offshore from mid-Vancouver Island to northern California and generated a tsunami that crossed the Pacific to Japan.
• 1663 Charlevoix-Kamouraska Earthquake, estimated M7+: One of the largest known historic earthquakes in eastern Canada. Because this was before modern instruments, the exact magnitude is uncertain, but it is generally treated as a major eastern Canadian earthquake.
• 1872 Washington–British Columbia Border Region Earthquake, about M7.4: A large inland earthquake strongly felt across parts of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.
• 1899 Yakutat Bay Earthquakes, about M8-class: A powerful earthquake sequence near the Alaska–Canada border region. The epicentres were primarily in Alaska, but the events were felt in Yukon and are included in Canadian earthquake histories.
• 1918 Vancouver Island Earthquake, about M7.0: A significant offshore Vancouver Island earthquake that damaged structures including the lighthouse at Estevan Point.
• 1929 Grand Banks Earthquake, M7.2: Occurred south of Newfoundland and triggered a submarine landslide and tsunami. The tsunami killed 28 people on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula and destroyed homes, ships, businesses, livestock, and fishing gear.
• 1933 Baffin Bay Earthquake, M7.3: One of the largest earthquakes recorded north of the Arctic Circle. Because of its remote offshore location, little damage was reported.
• 1946 Vancouver Island Earthquake, M7.3: Canada’s largest recorded onshore earthquake. It caused damage on Vancouver Island, toppled chimneys, triggered landslides, and resulted in two deaths.
• 1949 Haida Gwaii Earthquake, M8.1: Canada’s largest instrumentally recorded earthquake. It ruptured the Queen Charlotte Fault off the coast of British Columbia.
• 1985 Nahanni Earthquake Sequence, M6.6 and M6.9: A major earthquake sequence in the Northwest Territories. The events occurred in a remote area but showed that damaging earthquakes are not limited to the west coast.
• 2012 Haida Gwaii Earthquake, M7.8: A major modern earthquake off Haida Gwaii that triggered tsunami warnings and renewed public attention on Canada’s Pacific earthquake risk.

Sources: Canada’s Ten Largest Earthquakes, Earthquakes Canada Grand Banks event summary, and Earthquakes Canada Haida Gwaii event summary

Earthquake Preparedness

Earthquakes cannot be predicted, but you can prepare for them. The basics are simple: know what to do during shaking, secure things that could fall, keep emergency supplies, and understand your local risk.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On: During an earthquake, the recommended action is Drop, Cover, and Hold On.

Drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table or desk if possible, and hold on until the shaking stops. If there is no table nearby, move away from windows and protect your head and neck.

Do not run outside while the ground is shaking. Falling glass, bricks, signs, and debris can be dangerous.

Canada’s Earthquake Early Warning System

Canada now operates an Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system in higher‑risk regions which began operating in British Columbia in spring 2024 and was rolled out to parts of Quebec and Ontario in 2025. The system covers major population centres in those provinces but is not yet nationwide, and alerts are only issued when predicted shaking reaches potentially harmful levels.

The system does not predict earthquakes. It detects an earthquake that has already started. When conditions meet alert thresholds, warnings can be sent through Canada’s National Public Alerting System, giving seconds to tens of seconds of warning before stronger shaking arrives.

That may not sound like much, but a few seconds can be enough to drop, cover, and hold on, slow trains, stop sensitive equipment, open firehall doors, or trigger automated safety actions.

Tsunami Awareness

If you are near the coast and feel strong or long-lasting shaking, treat it as a possible natural tsunami warning. Move inland or to higher ground after the shaking stops.

This is especially important on the British Columbia coast, where some tsunami waves from a local earthquake could arrive quickly. Do not wait for an official alert if the shaking itself is strong or unusually long.

Earthquake Safety Checklist

• Know how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
• Secure heavy furniture, shelves, mirrors, water heaters, and appliances.
• Keep emergency supplies, including water, food, medication, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, and copies of important documents.
• Have a household emergency plan and an out-of-area contact.
• Know your local earthquake and tsunami risk, especially if you live near the British Columbia coast.
• Pay attention to official emergency alerts from Canada’s National Public Alerting System.
• If you are near the coast and feel strong or long-lasting shaking, move to higher ground after the shaking stops.

Canada.ca recommends knowing local risks, making an emergency plan, and preparing an emergency kit before disasters happen. Get Prepared Canada

Canada’s Earthquake Monitoring Networks

Tracking earthquakes across a country as large as Canada takes a mix of land-based stations, offshore sensors, hazard models, and emergency alert systems.

• Earthquakes Canada: The authoritative national source for Canadian earthquake information, including recent earthquakes, historic events, seismic zones, earthquake statistics, and hazard tools.
• Geological Survey of Canada: Conducts earthquake monitoring, seismic hazard research, and geoscience work that supports public safety and the National Building Code of Canada.
• Canadian National Seismograph Network: A network of seismograph stations across Canada used to detect and locate earthquakes.
• Ocean Networks Canada / NEPTUNE Observatory: Canada operates a major cabled observatory network off the west coast. Ocean Networks Canada says hundreds of kilometres of subsea fibre-optic cable provide power and internet connectivity to thousands of sensors, producing continuous open data from the ocean floor.
• Offshore earthquake early-warning sensors: Ocean Networks Canada’s seafloor sensors are located near the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which can help provide extra warning time before shaking reaches land.
• Natural Resources Canada Earthquake Early Warning Program: Operates Canada’s EEW infrastructure for British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario.
• National Public Alerting System: Delivers public emergency alerts, including earthquake early-warning alerts when thresholds are met.

🗺️ Related Maps

View broader region:
North America Earthquakes | United States Earthquakes | Alaska Earthquakes

View nearby high-risk regions:
Washington Earthquakes | California Earthquakes | Northern California Earthquakes | Southern California Earthquakes

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