Jammers Exemption for Law Enforcement Agencies

Summary#

The government has published a proposed Radiocommunication Act Exemption Order (Jammers — Certain Law Enforcement Agencies) under the Radiocommunication Act on October 10, 2026. If approved, it would let employees of a set of police forces — and some suppliers and procurement staff working for them — use or handle radio jamming equipment for specific public‑safety and national‑security purposes, subject to training, limits on interference, reporting and storage rules.

What it does#

• Exempts employees of listed police and law enforcement services from the ban on jammers so they can use, possess, import or distribute them when needed for official duties or training.
• Extends the exemption, in specific situations, to:
  • provincial and municipal employees who handle procurement for those agencies;
  • companies that respond to requests for information, letters of interest, or solicitations of bids (so they can demonstrate or test equipment);
  • suppliers and subcontractors who provide jammers or related services under contract.
• Limits the reasons jammers can be used to defined purposes such as national security, public safety, international relations, investigation or prosecution (including preserving evidence), and protecting property or preventing serious harm.
• Imposes operational conditions, including:
  • training requirements for staff (must receive or be receiving specialized training, including RCMP‑developed/validated training when available);
  • requirements to minimize interference — keep the physical area, radio frequencies, power and duration as small as necessary;
  • secure storage and prevention of unauthorized access when not in use;
  • record‑keeping and reporting rules (use and technical records must be kept for 5 years);
  • limits on supplier testing times — normally between 8:00 and 17:00, Monday to Friday;
  • evaluation periods limited to 30 days, with at least 14 days notice to the Minister before an evaluation starts (or as soon as feasible), and 7 days notice if key details change.
• Allows Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to monitor compliance and to require contact information for people responsible for jammers.

Who's affected#

• Employees of the listed police and law enforcement agencies (a total of 27 agencies). Examples include Toronto Police Service, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Sûreté du Québec, Ontario Provincial Police, Vancouver Police Department, and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary.
  (The full list in the proposed Order names 27 municipal, regional and provincial police services.)
• Suppliers, manufacturers and contractors that bid on, demonstrate, sell or service jammers for these agencies.
• Provincial and municipal staff who take part in procurement for the exempted agencies.
• The broader public and users of wireless services — people and businesses near an operation could notice temporary radio interference if a jammer is used.
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are mentioned in the document as the agency that previously had broader responsibility for jammer use; the proposal aims to reduce other agencies’ dependence on RCMP support.

Why it matters#

• Practical effect: some police forces would be able to use jamming equipment in specific operations (for example, explosive disposal, prison security, protecting critical infrastructure or securing major events) without breaking the general ban on jammers.
• It may speed up local responses by allowing agencies to act without waiting for RCMP assistance, and it opens a market for suppliers to bid on specialized equipment and services.
• Risk and trade‑offs: radio jammers can disrupt regular wireless communications (cell phones, radios, GPS). The Order includes training, technical limits and record‑keeping to try to reduce accidental or widespread interference, but some risk remains.
• Status and next steps: this is a proposed Order, not law. Interested people can comment — the Government is accepting representations for 30 days after publication.