RCMP exemption to use radio jammers

Summary#

The government proposes the Radiocommunication Act Exemption Order (Jammers — Royal Canadian Mounted Police), No. 2024-1. If adopted, it would let certain Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) employees install, use, possess, manufacture or import radio jammers for specified public‑safety and national‑security purposes, subject to conditions. The order would replace the previous RCMP exemption and last 5 years.

What it does#

• This is a proposed ministerial order (not law yet). The public can comment for 30 days after publication.
• It allows employees of the RCMP Technical Investigation Services and other RCMP staff who need them to handle jammers in the course of duties or training.
• The exemption is limited to these purposes:
  • national security
  • public safety, including work related to penitentiaries and prisons
  • international relations
  • the investigation or prosecution of offences in Canada, including preserving evidence
  • the protection of property or the prevention of serious harm to a person
• To reduce the chance of unwanted disruption, the order imposes conditions, including that the RCMP must:
  • give contact information to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and keep it updated
  • ensure staff have or are receiving specialized training and access to RCMP directives on jammers
  • limit interference to the smallest area, fewest frequencies, lowest power, and shortest time needed
  • minimize unwanted emissions and human exposure to radiofrequency fields
  • use jammers that allow adjustments to power and frequency
  • keep jammers secure when not in use and restrict access to authorized staff
  • keep records for every use (who used it, where/when, what frequencies, and the purpose)
• The order would come into force on registration and would repeal the earlier exemption (SOR/2019-269). It would cease after 5 years.

Who's affected#

• Directly: employees of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), especially those in the Technical Investigation Services and other RCMP staff who must handle jammers for their work or training.
• Indirectly: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which will receive contact details and may investigate interference or check compliance.
• Potentially affected members of the public: people or businesses near an operation could notice temporary disruption to wireless services while a jammer is used.
• Not affected: the exemption applies only to the RCMP; the general ban on jammers remains in place for everyone else.

Why it matters#

• It balances two goals: letting the RCMP use jammers in limited, serious situations and protecting the overall radio spectrum used by the public.
• For the public, that means authorities would have a regulated tool for some law‑enforcement and safety tasks, but with rules designed to limit accidental disruption to phones, radios, and other wireless systems.
• The conditions (training, adjustable equipment, narrow use, record‑keeping, and ISED oversight) are meant to reduce risks and make it easier to investigate any interference that happens.