Canada: climate and equipment wear
Fort McMurray averages minus 17.2 degrees Celsius in January, with a recorded low of minus 53.3 degrees, so batteries, touchscreens and enclosures need to work in deep cold.
Canada · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in Canada
The IS-04Z1 is an Ex phone for people working inside classified areas at Canadian oil sands plants, gas plants, refineries and offshore platforms. Hazardous locations in Canada fall under Section 18 of the Canadian Electrical Code Part I, which uses the Zone system, while the older Class and Division rules are kept in Annex J for existing installations. Distribution partners for Canada are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicEx-proof
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereCanada
Short answer. Canada has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof mobile phone for Canada
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | Canada: Alberta Industrial Heartland, Montney and Duvernay, Sarnia Chemical Valley | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Canada
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Canada. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · Canada
Where an Ex phone is used in Canada
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Canada market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Suncor Energy
- Base Plant, Fort Hills, Sarnia and Edmonton refining
- Cenovus Energy
- Foster Creek, Christina Lake, Lloydminster, offshore Atlantic
- Imperial Oil
- Kearl and Cold Lake, Strathcona and Sarnia refineries
- Canadian Natural Resources
- Horizon and Albian mining, Jackfish and Primrose thermal
- Syncrude
- Mildred Lake mining and upgrading, operated by Suncor
- Shell Canada
- Scotford upgrader, refinery and chemicals in the Heartland
Industrial areas and sites
- Athabasca oil sands
- Fort McMurray mines, upgraders and in situ plants
- Cold Lake and the Lakeland
- Thermal in situ pads and steam generation
- Alberta Industrial Heartland
- Fort Saskatchewan, Scotford and Redwater refining and chemicals
- Montney and Duvernay
- Gas plants around Grande Prairie and Fort St John
- Sarnia Chemical Valley
- Three refineries and dozens of chemical plants
- Kitimat and the north coast
- LNG Canada trains and jetty, Cedar LNG building
Field notes · Canada
More about Canada that matters for portable equipment
Canada: rules and approvals
Canada also accepts field certification for custom-made or low-volume equipment, evaluated at the installation site, which is similar to unit verification under the IECEx and ATEX systems.
Canada: industry on the ground
The Athabasca oil sands in Alberta hold bitumen so viscous that it will not flow unless heated or diluted with lighter hydrocarbons such as condensate, so diluent and heating systems feature heavily at sites.
Canada: rules and approvals
Electrical products for hazardous locations must be certified by a body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada, and IECEx or ATEX certificates are not accepted in place of that certification.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In Canada. A marking check in Canada would look at the ambient range first: unless a certificate says otherwise, equipment is assessed for minus 20 to plus 40 degrees Celsius, which matters before a January shift at Fort McMurray. Gas group, T class and the Division marking follow. The target marking is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Canada
A distributor for Canada would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Canada.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Canada
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof mobile phone in Canada today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an Ex-proof mobile phone in Canada cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which sites in Canada does this cover?
The market guide for Canada covers Athabasca oil sands, Cold Lake and the Lakeland, Alberta Industrial Heartland, Montney and Duvernay, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Canada?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Canada.
Does a phone for Canadian oil sands sites need Canadian certification?
Hazardous-location electrical equipment in Canada is generally expected to carry certification from a Standards Council of Canada accredited body, and IECEx or ATEX certificates are not accepted as a substitute, although they can speed the evaluation. Confirm the required marking with the site operator and a Canadian certification body.
How cold-tolerant should devices be for northern Alberta?
Fort McMurray averages about minus 17 degrees Celsius in January and has seen extremes below minus 50, so check the datasheet's operating and charging temperature range, battery behaviour in cold, and glove-friendly controls. Confirm any site cold-weather procedures with the operator before deployment.
Will the battery work on cold winter shifts?
Every battery gives up capacity in the cold, and the 4,000 mAh cell is sized for a normal shift, not extreme cold. Unless a certificate says otherwise, hazardous area equipment is assessed for minus 20 to plus 40 degrees Celsius, and the marked range will be published when the certificate issues. Check it first.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Canada and for Canada.
Rugged Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in CanadaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in CanadaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in CanadaSame place, different guide
Canada market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for CanadaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Canada
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Canada
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · Canada
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Canada?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.