Alberta government to review Amber Alert system, criteria after Parker’s death in Calgary
Posted Aug 10, 2026 2:52 pm.
Last Updated Aug 10, 2026 3:19 pm.
The Alberta government is vowing to examine its emergency alert processes when a vulnerable person goes missing.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after 11-year-old Parker Wells was found dead in a labyrinthine stormwater tunnel system following a lengthy search that gripped Calgary for days.
An Amber Alert was issued about 48 hours after Parker went missing, and only once the province issued a unique exemption to the alert criteria.
Currently, law enforcement are responsible for issuing Amber Alerts, but all the criteria that must be met are related to criminal activity, like abductions. The special exemption was granted even though Parker, who had autism, had not been abducted.
Now the provincial government says it will review its emergency alert processes, including an evaluation of its Amber Alert criteria, though it did not provide specifics.
The review will be conducted by Public Safety and Emergency Services and involve law enforcement agencies, disability advocates and community organizations – what Alberta describes as a “range of perspectives and expertise to better understand the current system and identify potential opportunities for improvement.”
“Parker’s death is a heartbreaking tragedy, and our thoughts remain with his family and everyone who knew and loved him,” said Mike Ellis, Alberta’s minister of public safety and emergency services. “We want to make sure we learn from what happened. By listening to law enforcement, disability advocates and community partners, we can better understand how emergency alerts are working today and what options should be considered for the future.”
Many Calgarians, advocacy groups, and others from across Canada began calling for changes to the emergency alert system while the search for Parker was still underway. Some argue the 48-hour delay before the Amber Alert was issued cost valuable time.
A petition — sponsored by a Calgary MP — calling all levels of government to devise a plan for a new system to strengthen protocols for missing vulnerable children has amassed 348 signatures.
In addition to Alberta’s Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services reviewing emergency alert processes, the province says Assisted Living and Social Services will review the policies and protocols of the service provider responsible for Parker’s care at the time he went missing.
Parker went missing from a day home in Calgary’s north end on July 16.
