As a family that has ties on both sides of the border, we often travel to the Great White North, but we typically leave our mobile and handheld GMRS radios behind. You might’ve heard recently that the General Mobile Radio Service (as we know it in the US) also has a Canadian counterpart, also called GMRS, that uses most of the same frequencies, but it’s quite a bit different from ours.
Sadly our Canadian friends cannot use long-range repeaters, 50 watts of power, or high-gain mobile and base station antennas to get the most out of this versatile radio service, but hopefully this will change.
Canadian GMRS is Like US FRS
While Canada has officially allowed its own version of GMRS radio within its borders, it looks more like our FRS or Family Radio Service with only two watts of power allowed and no license required.
In this post we’ll look at what’s now allowed, and what’s not as far as the new General Mobile Radio Service goes in Canada.
Please Note: We’re not experts on Canadian law or Industry Canada rules (their equivalent to the FCC), so always get a second opinion about anything you might read here.
Industry Canada Allows GMRS, (Sort Of)
Our northern neighbors do things a bit differently – think bacon (better), Thanksgiving (way too early), and the metric system (we’re neutral on that one) – and Canadian GMRS seems to be no exception to that rule. The full scope of allowed GMRS radio operations in Canada can be found here on the Industry Canada website.
The last time we were in Nanaimo, BC, we saw Dewalt and Uniden radios for sale at Canadian Tire and Home Depot, advertised as GMRS models, which made us curious about what’s changed up north.
From what we’ve gathered from checking Industry Canada’s website, only 2 watts of power is allowed for GMRS radios in Canada, which is no different from FRS radios sold in the US (Bubble-Pack radios are now allowed in Canada). Unlike FRS radios in the US, which must use 12.5 kHz narrow-band FM, Canadian GMRS radios could use 20 kHz wide-band modulation on all channels except for 8-14, just like GMRS here in the US. Privacy tones, both CTCSS and DCS are allowed on Canadian GMRS channels, as are short bursts of data for text messages and location info.
GMRS-M
There’s also a special provision for GMRS-M, which will work similarly to MURS in the US, with things like dog tracking collars and gate alarms using some of the frequencies. The use of the frequencies below for GMRS-M probably isn’t of much concern to two-way radio users, other than perhaps explaining what some of the transmissions are that might be heard on them.
The channel list below follows the US channel/frequency standard, using the Motorola numbering convention that became accepted for FRS/GMRS radios sold in the US. The frequencies are the same as ones allowed for FRS and GMRS in the US. There will be no repeater offsets allowed, as Industry Canada drew a hard line on this, consequently there probably won’t ever be any GMRS repeaters in Canada.
List of Canadian GMRS – FRS Channels and Frequencies
You can see the full list of GMRS/FRS frequencies allowed here in the US, including repeater offsets in this list.
Canadian GMRS Power Limits and Antennas
From Industry Canada’s Website: “The maximum permissible transmitted e.r.p. of the equipment under any operating conditions shall not exceed 0.5 W for channels 8-14 and 2 W for other channels.”
ERP (Effective Radiated Power) of Canadian GMRS radios is capped at 2 watts. The language states that “the antenna of FRS devices must be an integral part of the unit” but doesn’t mention GMRS, so we take it that those radios could have an external antenna, as long as it didn’t have a gain factor that increased ERP over 2 watts.
What? GMRS Operation is Allowed Above Line A? It’s interesting to note that channels 19 and 21 are allowed to be used for Canadian GMRS – using 2 watts, when operators in the US are prohibited from using these channels within 100 miles of the Canadian Border or above line A, as defined by the FCC. If these two channels are so sacrosanct along the border, then why are they allowing 2 watt radios sold at Canadian Tire to use them?
What if I just Program My Baofeng UV-9G For Canadian GMRS Channels With Two Watts Output?
Industry Canada doesn’t allow any radio to be used for GMRS that’s programmable to work outside the frequencies listed on the chart above, or at least that’s our interpretation.
“FRS/GMRS devices are not permitted to include transmitter(s) (or transmitting modes) operating in other licence and licence-exempt services except services covered in RSS-210 and RSS-247.”( 1)
Also, I.C. states that “All frequency determining circuitry, including crystals and programming controls, must be internal to the transmitter and made inaccessible to the user from the exterior of the device.” Inaccessible would most likely rule out programming cables, and prohibit US approved GMRS radios like the Baofeng UV-9G, which can be programmed using Chirp, from ever being used legally in Canada.
The Bottom Line On Whether US Models of GMRS Radios Are Allowed in Canada
If your GMRS radio transmits more than 2 watts, it’s not allowed in Canada. You can still use a FRS radio, as long as it’s compliant with Industry Canada Rules. So could you just turn your dedicated GMRS radio down to 2 watts and be good to go? Since your US market radio probably includes repeater offsets, which are legal to use only in the US, it probably wouldn’t be legal in Canada since it would violate the first rule above. (1)
What if I Take My Full Power GMRS Radio Across The Border to Canada?
Amateur radio operators are allowed by reciprocal agreements between the US and Canadian governments to take their transceivers across the border. GMRS operators benefit from no such reciprocal agreements, and although you’re unlikely to be questioned about it, it’s probably just safer not to cross the Canadian border with your full-power GMRS radio.
Our Thoughts On Taking GMRS Radios Into Canada – We have taken our Midland 50 watt GMRS across the border, but disconnected the power and antenna, just in case we were questioned about it.
Each day thousands of vehicles (including radio-dispatched taxis and trucks) cross the US/Canadian border with two-way radios aboard that aren’t licensed for use in one of the two countries, but neither government really seems to care as long as they aren’t operated where they shouldn’t be. If you use a 50 watt GMRS radio in Canada you’ll stand out – loudly and noticeably – and probably get yourself in some trouble with the authorities up there. If you leave it off and unplugged as we do, and don’t sell or leave it behind in Canada, you should* be OK.
If you really want to take your radio with you, instead of removing it from your vehicle, it’s best to contact the Canada Border Service Agency at 1-800-461-9999 before arriving at the border.
*Disclaimer: Please verify any rules and regulations for using your US-made GMRS radio across the border first with Industry Canada before attempting to use it. Most US models of GMRS radios are illegal to operate in Canada.
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