(Updated) Thousands of people felt minor earthquake in Ottawa area

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, April 14, 2026

An earthquake shook up the nation’s capital on Tuesday afternoon.

According to https://www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/, a magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck at 12:36 p.m. near Shawville, Que.

More than 2,500 people in Ontario and Quebec have reported to the agency that they felt the quake, including those living in and around Barrie, Orillia, and parts of Muskoka.

Most of the people filing reports on the site have said the quake intensity was a 2 or 3, on a scale of 1 to 10.

It was the third quake in the area since the beginning of the year. 

A magnitude 2.8 earthquake was reported in western Quebec, across the Ottawa River from Hawkesbury, Ont., on Jan. 28, and a magnitude 3 earthquake was detected 76 km northwest of Maniwaki, Que., on Jan. 20.

With files from The Canadian Press