(A 3.9 magnitude earthquake shook the area on April 14, 2026. It was felt from the Ottawa area as far north as Sudbury covering a vast eastern area of Ontario and Quebec. The epicentre was located approximately 20 kilometres outside of Shawville, Quebec. Image: Earthquakes Canada)
Feeling shaky this afternoon? At 12:36pm on April 14, 2026, an earthquake occurred 20 kilometres northeast of Shawville, Quebec. Many reported feeling the shake throughout western Quebec and eastern Ontario. Beyond some rattling homes, no injuries or damage have been reported.
According to Earthquakes Canada, the federal agency that monitors seismic activity, today’s earthquake had a 3.9 magnitude. Magnitude refers to the amount of energy an earthquake releases during its shake; the higher the magnitude, the more intense the earthquake. A 3.9 is not uncommon, though it’s more rare for the Ottawa area which typically experiences earthquakes under a 2.0 magnitude. These small earthquakes happen fairly often, but because they have such a low magnitude, you can’t even feel them! It’s not until you reach a 5.0 magnitude that damage starts to occur.
Natural Resources Canada (NRC) also reported that a 3.9 magnitude earthquake was felt in the region just after 12:30 p.m. They said the quake occurred just northeast of Shawville, Quebec. NRC stated that earthquakes with a magnitude above 5.0 have been felt in the region before. If you felt the earthquake, Natural Resources Canada wants to hear from you and has a questionnaire on their website for you to complete.
Stittsville resident, Tanya Hein, shared with us, “I did feel it ever so slightly but I thought it was blasting or a big truck. I didn’t realize what it was until after reading the FB News.”
Earthquakes happen when rocks break and slip inside the faults in the earth. Seismic waves are then released, which causes the shaking. Because tectonic plates are always moving, scraping or pulling from each other, earthquakes are quite common and happen everyday around the world, usually with small intensity. Natural Resources Canada locates over 5,000 every year in the country. On average, only 50 of these are felt.
Earthquakes can’t be predicted, but knowing what to do when one happens can reduce the risk of damage to you and your home. Despite damaging earthquakes in Ottawa being unlikely, it’s important to make sure everyone in your household knows what to do in the event of one, just in case. Visit Earthquakes Canada for information on staying safe during an earthquake.
The last quake felt in this region of a similar magnitude to today’s was back on May 17, 2013 when a 5.2 quake was experienced centred 20 km NE from Shawville, Que. at 8:43 a.m. followed by a magnitude 4.1 aftershock 10 minutes later.
At the time, was eating my lunch and I never felt a thing!