In the event of an emergency or significant disruption affecting the Alta Vista, Lees and main campuses, the University will activate its emergency notification system (AlertUO) to provide you with reliable information, as early as possible and through a variety of methods.

Push notifications with SecurUO

  • Download the uOttawa safety app – SecurUO. Available on iOS and Android.
  • Receive emergency alerts via push notifications on your device.
  • SecurUO also contains a wealth of other safety and emergency information and some handy tools.
Learn more about SecurUO
SecureUO on iPhone.

Screen alerts with Alertus

Image of alert posted on a computer screen

Download the Alertus client onto your computer to receive screen alerts:

Alertus icon.

Look for your Alertus icon in your tray!

If Alertus is not installed on the computer that you are working on, you won’t receive a screen alert. Check your tray for the yellow Alertus icon. If it is not connecting (red icon) or if you have difficulty with the installation, contact Information Technology (IT) for assistance.
Contact Information Technology (IT)

Other alerts

Social media

The University will tweet alerts using the Twitter handles @uOttawaAlert and @uOttawa. Follow these accounts and retweet (RT) all related posts to help spread the word.

Email

uOttawa account holders will receive an email with the subject line: URGENCE – ALERTUO - EMERGENCY.  To prevent it from going to your junk mail folder, please add [email protected] to your “safe sender” list. 

Note: Due to delivery limitations, e-mail is not a primary means of alerting. For timely access to alerts, download SecurUO on your mobile device and make sure Alertus is installed on your computer.

Web banner

An emergency banner will appear at the top of every uOttawa web page.

Emergency information page

When AlertUO is activated, all alerts will link to ue.uottawa.ca; a dedicated webpage where information about the emergency, instructions to follow, as well as regular updates will be posted.

Emergency information line

In certain circumstances, the University may activate an emergency information line, 613-562-5555, to provide information during complex emergencies or disruptions.