Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) enforces technical regulations for wireless power transfer (WPT) systems across the commercial, consumer, and industrial sectors under Radio Standards Specification RSS-216. The standard defines compliance requirements for WPT transmitters (sources) and receivers (clients), establishing strict electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radio frequency spectrum usage, and human exposure limits to ensure non-interference with licensed radio communication services. WPT equipment governed by RSS-216 operates on a no-interference, no-protection basis, categorized as either Category I radio apparatus or Category II interference-causing equipment depending on its underlying operational design and secondary communication functionality.
To accommodate modern technological developments, ISED modernized the regulatory framework with the release of RSS-216 Issue 3, replacing legacy provisions under Issue 2. The updated specification significantly expands the regulatory scope by raising the maximum operational frequency cap for WPT fundamentals from 400 MHz to 40 GHz and incorporating specific emission limits above 1 GHz. Additionally, the updated standard increases allowable maximum separation distances—extending up to 50 cm for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging systems and up to 20 cm for consumer and commercial WPT hardware—while adopting the testing methodologies defined in ANSI C63.30-2021 (with Canadian-specific deviations) to standardize laboratory evaluation procedures across North America.
The revised standard also establishes specific compliance pathways for body-worn and medical implant WPT hardware, removing previous administrative requirements for special ISED consultation on medical devices while directing compliance teams to RSS-102 for human Radio Frequency exposure assessments. High-power systems exceeding 500 W, EV systems exceeding 50 cm separation, or ultra-high frequency devices exceeding 40 GHz continue to require Special Authorization under ISED's RSP-102 framework prior to certification. Following a one-year transition window post-publication during which legacy Issue 2 filings were permitted, all new applications submitted to Foreign Certification Bodies (FCBs) and all WPT hardware manufactured, imported, or distributed across Canada must satisfy RSS-216 Issue 3 requirements to maintain Category I certification on ISED's Radio Equipment List (REL).
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