Hamilton Police could soon be permitted to buy and use radio frequency jammers under federal regulatory changes that would extend a power now limited to the military, the federal corrections service and the RCMP.
In a regulatory notice published in the Canada Gazette on Saturday, October 10, the federal government says the RCMP is finding it “challenging to sustain” providing radio jamming support to police agencies across Canada. Currently, the Radiocommunications Act restricts jamming to the military, the federal corrections service and the RCMP.
The notice states the federal government is preparing regulatory changes to permit 27 other policing agencies across Canada to make limited use of radio frequency jammers in circumstances of public safety, while emphasizing such use must be carefully controlled “recognizing the importance that Canadians attribute to having interference-free wireless communications.”
The federal government’s regulatory proposal states jamming technologies would be operated by specialized policing personnel, specifically citing explosive disposal units as best suited for the responsibility..
In the Hamilton area, the police forces which will be permitted to use jamming devices include the Hamilton Police Service, the Halton Regional Police Service, the Niagara Regional Police Service, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
A 30-day public consultation period is open until November 10. Comments can be submitted online.
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Published: October 13, 2026
Last updated: October 13, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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