RCMP jammers exemption order

Summary#

The Canada Gazette published a proposed order called Radiocommunication Act Exemption Order (Jammers — Royal Canadian Mounted Police), No. 2024-1 on December 30, 2023. It would let certain Royal Canadian Mounted Police employees lawfully use, possess and test radio jammers for specific public‑safety and national‑security reasons for five years, subject to conditions. Interested people have 30 days to comment on the proposal.

What it does#

• Exempts, under the Radiocommunication Act, employees of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Technical Investigation Services and other RCMP employees who need jammers for their duties or training.
• Allows the installation, use, possession, manufacture or import of jammers only for stated purposes:
  • national security;
  • public safety, including in penitentiaries and prisons;
  • international relations;
  • investigation or prosecution of offences in Canada, including preserving evidence;
  • protecting property or preventing serious harm to people.
• Puts conditions on the exemption to limit unintended radio interference, including requirements for:
  • specialized training for personnel;
  • limiting the physical area, frequencies, power level and duration of jamming;
  • minimizing unwanted emissions and human exposure to radiofrequency fields;
  • jammers that can be adjusted for power and frequency;
  • secure storage and restricted access when devices are not in use;
  • record‑keeping for each use (who used it, where/when, frequencies affected, and purpose).
• Requires the RCMP to give contact information for those responsible for jammers to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) so inspectors can follow up.
• Would replace and repeal the previous RCMP exemption (SOR/2019-269) and automatically end after five years from when it is registered.
• Note: this is a proposed order (not yet in force) and the public may comment for 30 days after publication.

Who's affected#

• Directly: employees of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who are trained and authorized to work with jammers.
• Regulatory/enforcement: staff and inspectors at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), who monitor radio spectrum and compliance.
• Indirectly: people and businesses near a jammer operation (for example, local wireless users, emergency radio users, or telecom equipment) who could experience temporary interference if jamming is used. The order is limited to the RCMP; the proposal says it does not apply more broadly to businesses or the public.

Why it matters#

• It lets the RCMP carry out investigations and safety operations that may require blocking radio signals, while putting rules in place to reduce accidental disruption to other radio services.
• The conditions (training, power/frequency limits, secure storage, records, ISED contact) aim to balance public‑safety needs with protection of Canada’s radio spectrum.
• If approved, the exemption would last five years, after which it would need to be renewed or allowed to lapse. The proposal is open for public comment for 30 days, so the final form could change.