E-Comm Public Safety Radio Compliance in Burnaby
Burnaby Emergency Radio Building Amplification Bylaw 2018 (Bylaw No. 13888)
The City of Burnaby’s Burnaby Emergency Radio Building Amplification Bylaw 2018 (Bylaw No. 13888) sets requirements for in-building radio amplification systems so public safety and emergency response communications remain reliable inside certain buildings.
The bylaw defines E-Comm as the area-wide public safety communications service provider for emergency services communications.
Fraser Valley RF Solutions supports Burnaby projects with coverage verification, design coordination, commissioning, acceptance testing, and annual testing documentation — helping you maintain a clean path to compliance.
Key Dates (Burnaby Emergency Radio Building Amplification Bylaw 2018 — Bylaw No. 13888)
Read a first / second / third time: May 14, 2018.
Reconsidered and adopted by Council: May 28, 2018.
- Consolidated for convenience: Bylaw 13888CC.
Does Burnaby Bylaw 13888 apply to my building?
Burnaby’s bylaw applies to “applicable buildings”, which exclude single-family and two-family dwellings.
A building is an applicable building if it is constructed with materials that attenuate radio signals (such as reinforced concrete/structural steel, metal cladding/studs/flooring, reflective/low-emissivity glass, or other attenuating materials) and meets any of these thresholds:
Total floor area > 5,000 m², or
Height > 12 m (from lowest street level to top of roof), or
Below-grade total floor area > 1,000 m², or
Below-grade floor area > 10 m below lowest street level.
If you’re not sure whether your building meets the definition, a quick plan review (new build) or site assessment (existing building) can usually confirm what’s required.
When is compliance required?
Bylaw 13888 applies to:
Construction of each new applicable building, and
Certain additions where the construction:
adds more than 20% floor area,
results in the building meeting the definition of an applicable building, and
has a building permit construction value exceeding $1,000,000.
Burnaby requirements at a glance
Burnaby requires System access and Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) of 3.4 or better for portable radios communicating with the area-wide public safety communications service provider and City radio networks.
Coverage targets include:
90% of each floor area (including underground parking),
100% in critical areas (fire command centres, stairwells, protect-in-place areas, lobby refuge areas, equipment rooms, and high-hazard areas), and
90% of “shadowed areas” where DAQ 3.4 could be achieved before construction.
The bylaw notes DAQ 3.4 equivalence references (SINAD/BER) and provides a practical signal-level reference (approx. -95 dBm in the absence of other signals).
Supported frequencies must cover those used by the area-wide public safety communications provider and City networks; if amplifiers are used, they must include filters to prevent overload and out-of-band interference.
If a radio amplification system is required, coordination with the service providers is required to avoid degrading outdoor radio performance; any decision trade-off is made by the service providers and communicated to the Fire Chief by the owner.
System requirements: BDA/DAS options, UPS, alarms, and ISED licensing
If a radio amplification system is required, it may include passive antenna/radiating cable systems, DAS with uni/bi-directional amplifiers (BDAs), voting receivers, or another system approved by the Fire Chief.
If any portion is electrically powered, Burnaby requires:
Independent UPS for at least 4 hours,
NEMA Type 4 enclosures with physical security for amplifiers/electronics, and
Monitored alarm signals for power/UPS/battery conditions.
A system summary alarm must be hard-wired to the building fire alarm annunciator panel.
Equipment must be selected from the ISED Radio Equipment List, and active systems must be licensed by ISED and comply with the applicable SRSP. Licences are renewed annually at the owner’s cost.
Acceptance testing, annual testing, and documentation
Test and measurement procedures are developed by the owner (at the owner’s expense) for approval by the Fire Chief.
Acceptance testing includes grid-based testing rules (15 m grid for areas > 4,500 m², otherwise ~20 equal areas), DAQ testing with five-second transmissions, and limits on failed grid areas with defined retest steps (including a 40-area test).
Backup power is tested under full load; batteries must not fail within a 4-hour continuous test period.
Amplifier gain values must be measured using calibrated equipment and maintained in records (with backups).
Annual testing requires testing active components (amplifiers, power supplies, backup batteries) and keeping records in the Fire Safety Plan; amplifier gain is adjusted to match acceptance gain records as needed; and batteries/power supplies are load tested for at least 1 hour.
Tests must be performed by or under direct supervision of a qualified professional (P.Eng., AScT, or CTech) registered in BC and qualified in radio communications; reports carry the appropriate seal/approval.
Permits and occupancy
Burnaby states that a building permit or occupancy certificate will not be issued for construction covered by this bylaw unless the construction complies to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief.
How Fraser Valley RF Solutions helps in Burnaby
We support Burnaby projects with:
Coverage verification and system review
iBwave design support and implementation planning
Commissioning and optimization (including isolation and uplink-noise performance checks)
Acceptance testing and AHJ-ready documentation
Annual testing, troubleshooting, and ongoing compliance support
Official bylaw reference
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