Best Radar Detectors and Laser Jammers for Canada

If you live in Canada, which radar detector and laser jammer is best for you? Well my complete radar detector buyer’s guide will be applicable for you even though it’s geared towards US drivers. Adding to that, there’s a few things to go over that Canadian drivers need to focus on specifically so let’s take a look at the best radar detector in Canada and the best laser jammer in Canada. (Updated Oct 2020)

Canadian Radar Detector Legality

Unlike in the US, radar detectors are illegal in most of Canada.

Radar Detectors are legal in the green provinces, illegal in red provinces

If you drive in BC, AB, or SK, it’s legal to have a radar detector to detect police radar. If you drive in the other provinces where radar detectors are illegal, you should be careful because the penalties may be pretty stiff if you get caught. Ontario comes to mind… ($170 fine, three demerit points, and your radar detector gets confiscated.)

As far as the different types of radar and lidar guns that are used in each province, you can learn about the specifics by checking out the RDFGS Canada. If radar detectors are legal where you drive, all the usual suspects apply. The main exception is that Valentine only ships the V1 to BC, AB, and SK so if you want a V1 in the other provinces, you’ll have to either get Valentine to ship it to a legal area instead or pay some third party person to flip it to you with a markup. You’ll get no warranty if you do this (ie. Amazon or eBay) so arranging to get it through Valentine would be the preferred way to go.

Radar Detector Detectors

To catch people who use radar detectors, police use a special radar detector detector called the Spectre Elite. The Spectre is designed to alert the officer when it locates a nearby radar detector and then help officer figure out which car has a radar detector inside of it. It can be rotated to point towards different cars and the closer the officer gets and the stronger the signal is, the stronger it will alert. Learn more about radar detector detectors.

Now there are a few radar detectors that are immune from detection from radar detector detectors because they have been specifically developed with special stealth technology that helps prevent them from leaking the energy that the Spectre can pick up on.

MultaRadar CD Detection

In Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, there’s a low powered photo radar system in use called the MultaRadar CD (MRCD) that most radar detectors can’t detect. However, if you get a newer radar detector that is specifically designed for MRCD detection, you’ll have no problem picking up this latest threat as well.

Recommended Canadian Radar Detectors

Most radar detectors are detectable by the Spectre. In Canada it’s recommended to get an undetectable radar detector, particularly one with MRCD detection capabilities. Here’s the best options:

Top 5 Windshield Mount Radar Detectors

The most affordable option for an RDD-immune detector is to go with a windshield mount option. These cost less than a remote mount radar detector and are much easier to install.

Radenso Pro M: Best All-around Canadian Radar Detector

As far as windshield mounts, the go-to radar detector for Canada is the Radenso Pro M. You get great performance, top notch false alert filtering, manual GPS lockouts, the very best available MRCD detection, great MRCD false alert filtering, RDD immunity… the works.

The Radenso Pro M is the overall best performing and most capable windshield radar detector to use in Canada. The Pro M does lack some convenience features and it doesn’t have arrows to help you locate different threats, but it is nevertheless the detector that Canadian radar detector enthusiasts tend to rely on.

Uniden R7: Best High Performance Detector w/ Arrows & MRCD

Another super popular option is the Uniden R7. This offers MRCD capabilities like the Pro M, along with even longer range detection plus directional arrows to help locate the source of the threat.

The false alert filtering isn’t quite as good as the Pro M and some copies of the R7 may be detectable by the Spectre at close range, but otherwise you get top notch performance, MultaRadar capabilities, manual GPS lockouts, and arrows. It’s an excellent all-around option.

Learn how to program the Uniden R7 here.

Uniden R3: Best Affordable Canadian Radar Detector

Next up is the Uniden R3. This is like a more affordable version of the R7, without the arrows. Normally this would be a top pick thanks to its long range performance, great BSM filtering, manual GPS lockouts, and its RDD immunity. The issue is that it its MRCD capabilities are limited. It can detect those guns, but it can’t scan below 24.050 which means you will flat out miss any MRCD that scans down lower on K band. If you drive in other provinces though, the R3 will work well, plus it’ll save you some money over other options like the Pro M and R7.

Learn how to program the Uniden R3 here.

Escort Redline EX: Best Automated Canadian Radar Detector

Next up if you’d like a more plug-and-play detector, check out the Escort Redline EX. It’s like the Radenso Pro M & Uniden R3, except with more features and worse performance. It is completely RDD immune and it offers MRCD detection capabilities. The Pro M has longer range, better blind spot filtering, and fewer MRCD false alerts so all the core stuff with the Pro M is better.

The Redline EX adds automatic GPS lockouts instead of manual, a multicolor OLED display, an accurate frequency display, and Bluetooth built-in for realtime alerts shared with other drivers through the cloud. The biggest benefit of the Redline EX is really that the GPS lockouts are automatic so as you drive around with it, it’ll learn where the false alerts are located for you and get quieter for you over time. With the Pro M and R3 you have to teach them manually so it’s a little more work up front. The Redline EX is more plug-and-play in this regard so it’s popular a set-it-and-forget-it radar detector.

Another advantage is that the Redline EX’s bluetooth can display on your phone so you can keep your radar detector visually hidden but still see alerts and interact with your hidden detector.

Buy the Escort Redline EX

Buy the Escort Redline EX from KMPH.ca (Use the coupon code “Vortex Radar” to save $25.)

Learn how to program the Escort Redline EX here.

Escort Max 360c: Best Non-Stealth Detector with Arrows & MRCD

Finally, if you are driving in BC, AB, or SK and you want a high end and feature-packed radar detector, check out the Escort Max 360c. This isn’t RDD immune like the Redline EX, but it adds arrows and better false alert filtering so it’s a nicer experience overall. The Max 360c also has automatic GPS lockouts and Bluetooth for your phone integration. Plus if you have a WiFi hotspot in your car, it can connect to the cloud to keep itself current as new updates are released for its redlight / speed camera database and as new firmware updates are released to improve the detector over time.

Windshield-mount RD Accessories

If you go for a windshield mount radar detector, there’s an important accessory I’d recommend you pick up.

Hardwire Cable

Instead of having your radar detector’s power cable hang down your windshield and dash, I’d recommend you hardwire it. This way the cable runs across your headliner and down into your fuse box for power. It takes a little more work, but it creates a much stealthier and more hidden install, helping keep the radar detector and cable hidden from anyone looking inside your car.

Learn how to hardwire a radar detector.

Hardwire Cable Options

Power-only hardwire cable for Radenso Pro M

Power-only hardwire cable for Uniden & Escort

Hardwire cable & remote mute button for Uniden

Hardwire cable and remote mute button for Escort

Custom Installed Radar Detectors

Here’s where we get serious.

When it comes to stealthiness, you can put your radar detector in a sun visor pouch or something, but if you really want to have an out of sight install, I’d suggest going for a custom installed radar detector. Remote mounts are radar detectors that are custom installed somewhere in the grill of your car or behind your bumper. The idea is you have nothing hanging down off your windshield for a police officer or thief or anyone else to see. You’ll then put a little display and controller somewhere in your cabin and there ya go. It’s out of sight to police officers plus immune from detection from radar detector detectors so it’s the best of both worlds.

Here is the best choice for remote mount custom installed radar detectors:

Radenso RC M

Just like the Radenso Pro M is the go-to option for windshield mount radar detectors, the Radenso RC M is the go-to option for custom installed radar detectors.

The RC M offers long range performance, great BSM filtering, manual GPS lockouts, arrows, and the best MRCD detection capabilities around.

Plus, it integrates directly with the AntiLaser Priority, the best laser jammer around, so you get one integrated radar and laser package protecting your vehicle.

Use the coupon code “VortexRadar75” to save $75 off the purchase of your RC M.

Net Radar DSP

Your best budget option is the Net Radar DSP. If you’re running the AntiLaser Priority, the best laser jammer on the market, you can add in the Net Radar DSP radar detector, a custom installed radar detector specifically designed to integrate with the ALP.

The Net Radar DSP offers great performance, very good BSM filtering, lockouts when paired with a phone, and MRCD detection support. It is cheaper than the RC M because instead of having a second “brain” that communicates with the ALP’s “brain” the way the RC M does, the NR DSP instead plugs directly into the ALP’s “brain” so it shares some of the hardware you’ll already be using.

The downside though is that the radar and laser integration isn’t quite as clean when mixing radar and laser with the ALP so your interface won’t be quite as nice. For example, when you pair it with your phone to get GPS lockouts, your ALP’s dedicated speaker will no longer work because audio is being routed through your phone so you can play it through your car stereo. Plus, some of the dedicated control pad buttons stop working because your phone is taking over. However, if you’d like a more affordable option than the RC M, the Net Radar DSP is the way to go.

Other Remotes

The Escort Max Ci and Max Ci 360 would be okay for Canada as well. They’ve got great performance and filtering, but there’s no international versions with MRCD detection and the laser jammers are only somewhat effective against the DragonEye guns so it’s tough to completely recommend them.

The Stinger VIP could be an option too since it can also detect the MRCD and it’s RDD immune, but it’s expensive and buggy. In general I don’t recommend it.

Best Laser Jammers for Canada

Police also like to issue tickets using lidar guns. Against lidar, a radar detector won’t help. You’ll need laser jammers to combat laser. (Laser and lidar are used interchangeably.) A jammer will prevent the lidar gun from getting a reading off your car, giving you enough time to slow down, turn off your jammers, and allowing the officer to get a reading on your car. When you do this, the officer won’t know they’ve been jammed and off you go. This is the proper way to use them, no matter if they’re legal or not. Like radar detectors, laser jammers are legal in BC, AB, and SK and illegal in all the other provinces. Now there’s a variety of different laser jammers on the market. However, there’s some very difficult to jam lidar guns in use in Canada with advanced anti-jamming capabilities and it’s for that reason that you’re going to need the most sophisticated laser jammers in order to effectively jam the anti-jamming lidar guns. For these it comes down to just two laser jammers.

AntiLaser Priority

The AntiLaser Priority is the most popular, most effective, and most commonly recommended laser jammer on the market. It is now the standard recommendation of what jammer to get because of its ability to jam the different guns in use throughout Canada, especially some of the more difficult to jam DragonEye guns.

You’re always going to want coverage in the front of your vehicle and in many places you’re also going to need protection in the rear. Generally it’s recommended to protect both areas. The laser jammer heads are custom installed in your grill and near your license plate area, the main control box is tucked somewhere out of sight in your vehicle, and you have a small control pad that you install in your cabin.

Check out my complete AntiLaser Priority setup guide to give you all the information you need to know about what to buy, how to properly install your jammers, how to set up and configure your ALP’s, the different accessories you can add on to customize your system, and so on. There’s two things I want to mention about that guide specifically for Canada.

First, ALP’s are region locked meaning that if you live in Canada you need to buy them from a Canadian dealer, not an American dealer. The Canadian dealer is Alex at kmph.ca so he’s the man to talk to to get you set up with ALP’s.

Second, if you live in Edmonton, they these difficult to jam anti-jamming guns extensively. For that reason, I recommend that you go for 2 regular head + 1 Tx head on both the front and the rear of your vehicle, no matter the size. Other than that, go through my ALP setup guide and you’ll be ready to rock and roll.

Use the coupon code “VortexRadar50” to save $50.

TMG VPR Laser Jammer

For a more affordable pick, check out the TMG VPR laser jammers. They may not jam as reliably as the ALP and they struggle against some of the newest guns out there, but thanks to some continued updates over the past year or two, they’ve now become the go-to option for a more budget-friendly laser jammer.

Like the ALP, you’ll want to get two regular heads + 1 VPR head for either side of your vehicle for complete protection. The controller, speaker, and Bluetooth module are all integrated into one unit which keeps cost down and simplifies installation as well.

Learning More

Finally, now that you’ve got a good idea of the equipment that you need, to learn more about the specifics of what you’ll encounter all across the different provinces in Canada, I would recommend that you visit the Canada discussion section at RadarDetectorForum.org. That’s one of the best resources you’ll find to talk to fellow Canadians running radar detectors and laser jammers.

Get the setup that suits you best, install it properly, learn how to use it, and you’ll drive with an awesome level of protection.

Enjoy!