Taking action against illegal drone activity

The safety and security of federal prisons, our employees who work there, and Canadians who live in communities nearby is our top priority. This is why it’s the law that unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) cannot be flown within restricted or controlled airspace around a federal prison without the permission from the Warden. Everyday, Correctional Service Canada (CSC) employees work hard to prevent the introduction of contraband, (for example drugs, weapons and cellphones), and unauthorized items (for example tobacco) from entering federal prisons from unauthorized drones.

What we’ve done

• Procurement and piloting of different drone detection technology at institutions
• Piloting of cell phone detection technologies
• Piloting of body scanners
• Training of detector dogs to detect electronic devices
• Investment in intelligence activities
• Ongoing enrichment of searching and dynamic security practices
• Infrastructure enhancements to our facilities
• Enhancing law enforcement and Crown partnerships

What else we’re doing

CSC is also committed to taking further action to protect the safety of our institutions.

Our staff remains vigilant and will continue to work in partnership with local police agencies and communities to further deter those who attempt to introduce contraband into our correctional institutions and identify new ways to keep our institutions and the public safe.

Furthermore, we are working on a renewed inmate accountability framework and increasing inmate accountability around drone and contraband introduction.

How you can help

Our institutions across Canada have been working with law enforcement officials in your communities to stop illegal drone activity. However, we can all play a part in keeping our communities safe.

Call and report suspicious activity anonymously

We are asking community members who live and work in the areas of our institutions to be aware of suspicious drone activity. We ask you to report anything you may see or hear, such as:

• Drones flying in the area
  • TIP! A drone flying in the air sounds like a swarm of bees buzzing overhead
• Suspicious vehicles nearby
• Suspicious persons
• Crashed drones
• Suspicious packages on the ground

CSC’s toll-free number, 1-866-780-3784 helps ensure that information reported is protected and that callers remain anonymous.

If you suspect a criminal act is in progress, contact police immediately.

Print and post

Community members who live and work in the areas around our institutions can print and distribute the postcards and display the posters in public areas that allow it. By doing this, together we are promoting awareness that drone activity near these institutions is illegal and we’re sharing how to report it to keep our communities safe.