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.
Canada · industrial
Industrial Smartphone Supplier 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. Buyers searching for an industrial smartphone supplier for Canada can take the datasheet and the certification schedule for the IS-04Z1 now; supply follows certification.
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 topicindustrial
DeviceSmartphone
RouteSupply
WhereCanada
Short answer. An industrial smartphone for Canada cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · industrial
Checklist: industrial smartphone for Canada
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP rating for dust and water | IP68 design |
| Fleet management | EMM and MDM support | Android 16 with EMM and MDM |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Canada: Sarnia Chemical Valley, Kitimat and the north coast, Athabasca oil sands | 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
Hazardous-area industry in Canada
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS Canada market guide covers.
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: background
The Great Canadian Oil Sands plant, now part of Suncor, opened in 1967, and Fort McMurray's growth took off as further oil sands plants followed after the 1970s energy crises.
Canada: rules and approvals
Zone approval in Canada uses the CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60079 series, and an existing IECEx certificate with test reports can shorten the work, because mainly the national differences then have to be addressed.
Canada: geography and layout
Fort McMurray sits in the middle of the Athabasca oil sands, 435 km north-east of Edmonton on Highway 63, surrounded by boreal forest, so access is largely by one road or by air.
The term · industrial
What “industrial” means for a smartphone
“Industrial” describes a phone built for plant conditions: sealed, drop-resistant and manageable at fleet scale through Android Enterprise. It does not by itself mean the phone may enter a classified area. Only a device with a valid explosion-protection certificate and marking may do that.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to be both an industrial Android phone (IP68, 4,000 mAh battery, 50 MP camera, Android 16 with EMM and MDM support) and an intrinsically safe one. Its explosion-protection certificates are in progress and have not been issued.
In Canada. Crews and contractors rotate through remote camps and Sarnia plants, and winter gloves limit handling. Android 16 with EMM and MDM enrolment locks a device to an approved app set and wipes it at demobilisation, with English and French interfaces for Quebec crews. Charging must be done outside the classified area.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for Canada
Supply of the IS-04Z1 to Canada starts only after certification, through authorised distributors. Until then a buyer can request the datasheet and the written certification schedule, and arrange a safe-area evaluation unit, which puts the site on the list for the right local channel at launch.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · Canada
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an industrial smartphone in Canada today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an industrial smartphone 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.
Is the IS-04Z1 an industrial phone as well as an Ex phone?
Yes by design: IP68 sealing, a 4,000 mAh battery, a 50 MP camera and Android 16 with EMM and MDM support. The explosion-protection certificates are separate and still in progress.
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 will SAMS supply Canada?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
What radio approval does a smartphone need in Canada?
Devices with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular radios generally need ISED certification and must meet the applicable Radio Standards Specifications, along with interference limits such as ICES-003. A certification body recognised by ISED can issue it. Confirm the exact requirements for your device with ISED or an accredited body.
Do Canadian sites use Zones or Divisions?
The Canadian Electrical Code now uses Zones in Section 18, while Class and Division rules remain in Annex J for existing installations, so older plants may still be classified by Division. Check the classification drawing for the area and make sure the device marking matches the system used there.
Does the phone carry both Zone and Division markings?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, with Class I Division 1 pursued on the same intrinsic safety basis. Nothing has been issued: certification is in progress. Canadian Section 18 classifies by Zone while Annex J18 keeps Division. Check which system your site's drawings use before anything is specified.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Canada and for Canada.
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in CanadaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in CanadaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in CanadaSame place, different guide
NEC 500 Class I Division 1 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
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Canada
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Canada?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.