Minister Champagne approved pilot project for use of frequency jammers at select correctional facilities

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, made the following statement:

"The Government of Canada recognizes that the unauthorized use of drones and cell phones in penitentiaries and prisons presents a serious threat to the safety and security of Canadians. Radiofrequency jammers can block wireless communication to those devices and make them unusable.

"That is why, in accordance with the Radiocommunication Act, I signed an order, which came into force March 3, to grant an exemption to Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and the sous-ministériat des services correctionnels (SMSC) of Quebec's Ministère de la Sécurité publique to enable their employees to legally carry out jammer-related activities as an additional layer of security at their facilities. This exemption is for federal facilities across Canada and for provincial facilities in Quebec.

"This is the first exemption granted to correctional facilities. The order represents a pilot project and offers CSC and SMSC a controlled opportunity to deploy and evaluate jammer technology, setting an example for other correctional organizations in Canada that may consider the use of jammers in the future."