This is a magnitude 5.0 earthquake scenario along the Burlington Toronto Structural Zone — a fault near Toronto and its surrounding region. This fault is not known to be active but demonstrates a plausible earthquake scenario for the Toronto region.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Montreal, along the Milles-Îles Fault. This fault is not known to be active, but this scenario represents a small but damaging event near the City of Montreal.

Ottawa planning scenario using the 2010 Val-de-bois, QC earthquake hypocentre and fault plane geometry from Ma & Motazedian, 2012 and Atkinson & Assatourians, 2010. This scenario uses a larger magnitude event than those that have been observed to date for that location, within bounds of the national seismic hazard model. Maximum magnitude of 7.95 is obtained from CanSHM6 for GATINEAU region.

Full rupture of the Leech River Fault, a fault that cuts southern Vancouver Island and extends beneath Greater Victoria. Based on current science, this magnitude 7.3 earthquake scenario represents the strongest ground shaking event that could strike the region, and is one of Greater Victoria’s most severe events.

A magnitude 5.6 rupture scenario near Ottawa along the Gloucester Fault in the south of the city. This fault is not known to be active, but this scenario is representative of seismicity in the Ottawa Valley.

Magnitude 4.9 earthquake scenario along the Vedder Fault which runs northeast along Vedder Mountain. This earthquake is located about 18 km east of Abbotsford City Hall. This fault is not known to be active, but this scenario represents a small but damaging event near Abbotsford town centre.

Faults in the valleys near Ottawa could rupture and produce strong, shallow earthquakes. This magnitude 5.5 scenario visualizes the effects of such an event. It does not represent the most severe earthquake that could occur, but one that is more likely and could still cause damage.

The Beaufort fault in Eastern Vancouver Island is probably an active fault, near Courtenay/Comox/Cumberland. Based on current science, this fault may have ruptured in the 1946 magnitude 7.3 Vancouver Island Earthquake. This scenario represents a smaller magnitude 5.2 event.

In 1949 a magnitude 8.1 earthquake occurred on the Queen Charlotte Fault, off the west coast of the Haida Gwaii archipelago. This magnitude 8.0 scenario along the Queen Charlotte Fault is slightly different and closer to population centres than the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred in 2012.

In 1997, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake occurred 3 to 4 km beneath the Strait of Georgia, near Vancouver. This scenario visualizes the effects of that event if it occurred today with a magnitude of 5.0. A magnitude 7.0 Georgia Strait scenario is also provided, and represents a less likely but more consequential case for comparison.