What the record shows for Canada
The strongest earthquake on record near Canada is a magnitude 6.3 in 1905, centred 79 km SW of Hay River, Canada - 121 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 1000 km of Canada - about one every 2 years. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 1000 km of Canada in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Canada’s west coast and the St. Lawrence valley are its most active regions; British Columbia sits on the Cascadia subduction zone.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Canada.
Earthquake risk in Canada - FAQ
Is Canada at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 1 quake every 2 years nearby of magnitude 4+ within 1000 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.3 in 1905.
What was the biggest earthquake in Canada?
The strongest earthquake on record near Canada is M6.3, in 1905 (79 km SW of Hay River, Canada), from USGS.
Does Canada get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 1000 km of Canada in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Canada?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.