Johnny G1
Clearwater, British Columbia ,Canada
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Scanner's are legal but if it ain't digital you won't much.
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edited 09/04/10 09:04pm by an administrator/moderator *
1998 34' Newmar Mountain Aire,210 Cummins Puller, 542 Allison 4 speed, BD Performance Exhaust Brake, BD Torque Convertor, Hendrickson Air suspension, 4 wheel disc brakes. 4-120 Watt 2-80 Watt Kyocera panels 8-T105s Toad 2003 VW Jetta TDI.
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plainsman48
IN
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Joined: 06/16/2010
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DAS26miles wrote:We travel with our Radio Shack scanner and it has provided us with entertainment along with useful information. Are they legal in Canada, or should I leave it home? I don't want any problems at the border crossing going north from east Glacier. How about returning to the USA?
Nobody is going to care and no one is going to ask on either side. It's a non-issue.
Brett - deceased 4/11/2011
His step-brother Capt. Abraham Quasuittuq suffered a stroke and died 4/19/2011
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DerekandRachel
Central Alberta
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I always bring my Uniden with me on trips. Mainly for the entertainment value, but also to check in with ranger stations (when available) and the weather stations. There is no legal issues with having one in Canada. I have spent many a day in the backyard with a beer and the scanner on, getting more entertainment than with the T.V.!
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ve7prt
Ucluelet, BC, Canada
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From an Amateur operator in Canada, I can tell you that yes they are legal, IN MOST PROVINCES. Not All! Alberta passed a law many years ago outlawing scanners in that province. I guess they were having problems with ambulance chasers and lawyers showing up at accidents and getting in the way. I think Ontario is the same, but I'd have to check on that.
As scanners are a federally regulated receiving device under Industry Canada, I consider any "law" passed by a province to be a chicken reg. Simply put, Industry Canada law already states what you can and cannot do with anything you hear on a scanner. Besides, I find that having a scanner in the vehicle (and I have a 1000 channel unit with external antenna in my truck) is a good way to get up-to-date information about road conditions (listen to the highways personnel), accidents (listen to RCMP, though they are going digital), listen to truckers (LADD freqs for Canada), and of course, when we are off-road, I have a ton of logging frequencies dialed into it as well.
I suspect that even if you are in a province that has supposedly banned scanners, so long as you don't advertise that you have one, you should be okay. Or, just do like I would, and say it's not a scanner, but a communications receiver (which mine technically is).
Cheers!
Mike Shepherd (CB: The Sheepster / Ham: VE7PRT)
Pulling Power: 2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 6.7L CTD, 68rfe, Brakesmart, Edge Insight CTS
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DAS26miles
San Fernando Valley, California
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Going to Alberta
2004 Winnebago Minnie 22E
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revrnd
Apsley, Ontario
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afraid of bears wrote:My understanding is that they are legal to use here in Canada as long as you don't repeat what you've heard, use what you hear for personal gain or use one in the commission of a crime.
That's similiar to what I've heard over the years. The only time I have a scanner in my truck is when I'm heading to the races in the US. Scanner is packed away.
MI has regs prohibiting them in vehicles. Race fans are told to keep them out of sight while travelling in the state.
1986 Monte Carlo SS
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2009 Rockwood 2106 Mini Lite
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Opened 1965 Closed 2009
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edmontoncamper
Edmonton Alberta Canada
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ve7prt wrote:From an Amateur operator in Canada, I can tell you that yes they are legal, IN MOST PROVINCES. Not All! Alberta passed a law many years ago outlawing scanners in that province. I guess they were having problems with ambulance chasers and lawyers showing up at accidents and getting in the way. I think Ontario is the same, but I'd have to check on that.
As scanners are a federally regulated receiving device under Industry Canada, I consider any "law" passed by a province to be a chicken reg. Simply put, Industry Canada law already states what you can and cannot do with anything you hear on a scanner. Besides, I find that having a scanner in the vehicle (and I have a 1000 channel unit with external antenna in my truck) is a good way to get up-to-date information about road conditions (listen to the highways personnel), accidents (listen to RCMP, though they are going digital), listen to truckers (LADD freqs for Canada), and of course, when we are off-road, I have a ton of logging frequencies dialed into it as well.
I suspect that even if you are in a province that has supposedly banned scanners, so long as you don't advertise that you have one, you should be okay. Or, just do like I would, and say it's not a scanner, but a communications receiver (which mine technically is).
Cheers!
There is no such law against scanners in Alberta.
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ve7prt
Ucluelet, BC, Canada
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edmontoncamper wrote:
There is no such law against scanners in Alberta.
Oh? That's not what my parents say. This "law" was brought into effect back in Ralph Klein's days. The story was such that LEO's and other emergency workers were having problems with lawyers and scanner chasers showing up at accidents and getting in the way, and causing general mayhem. Apparently it was all over the news when it was introduced.
Anyway, if no such "law" exists in Alberta, so much the better. I consider those sorts of laws chicken regs, especially when Industry Canada already has regulations in place.
As an aside, I was speaking to our local Queen's Cowboy (RCMP Staff Sargeant) a while back, and he actually likes having local citizens who listen to the scanner regularly. Turns out a couple times he's had unruly people to deal with, and someone listening to his calls to Dispatch on the their scanners has come out and assisted him with arresting the suspect. I think he's gonna be a little sad when they go completely digital, in that regard.
Cheers!
Mike
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DAS26miles
San Fernando Valley, California
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They never looked inside or asked.
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