If you are in the alarm monitoring industry in Canada, you’ve probably heard the term “ULC certification.” But what is it, exactly…and is it really necessary?
In this overview, we’ll cover the basics of ULC certification and give you the information you need to earn a ULC Listing for your central station.
What is ULC certification…and do you really need it?
Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) is an independent, non-governmental organization like its US-based counterpart, Underwriters Laboratories (UL). ULC and UL both test, inspect, and certify safety products like fire alarm systems as well as alarm monitoring equipment and services provided by central stations.
Having a stamp of approval from ULC certifies that your systems and processes:
- …have been thoroughly tested
- …are up to industry standards
- …comply with pertinent regulations
- …are regularly maintained and inspected
We highly recommend becoming ULC certified: it is a mark of distinction that proves to the world that your central station is serious about providing well-vetted, well-maintained, and well-managed alarm monitoring services.
When you successfully earn a ULC certification, you will appear on their list of accredited providers. The ULC certification assures your clients, as well as interested government authorities, insurers, and business stakeholders, that everything is operating at the highest possible standard, from your power supplies to your security, staffing levels, and response times. Beyond the greater confidence in your operations, a ULC certification can even lead to lower insurance premiums.
An important update to ULC requirements for 2025
Of course, as our industry evolves, so do standards and certifications. That is why new ULC updates that go into effect on January 1, 2025 will require all SRCs (signal receiving centers) to have a second redundant location as backup. ULC announced these updated standards, CAN/ULC-S301:2018 and CAN/ULC-S561:2020 in 2020, giving companies five years to phase in a redundant site.
But why is a second center so important? Because the added layer of redundancy ensures that your operations continue smoothly in case of primary site failure. Just as with your primary location, this backup location must be equipped, operational, and fully compliant with ULC standards.
If your central station currently has only one site, however, you are not alone: many alarm monitoring professionals have found themselves in the same situation and are planning how to best comply with the new ULC requirement once it comes into effect.
The good news is that the solution may be a lot simpler than you think. Having a second location doesn’t have to mean opening up an entirely new physical center: in fact, you can satisfy the requirement by moving your monitoring operations into the cloud.
You may also have the option to choose a hybrid solution if your alarm automation software provider is ULC Listed both for automation software and as a Hosted Signal Receiving Center (HSRC). This means you would keep your current primary infrastructure and secure servers and receivers in the cloud as your backup.
How can you get started with ULC certification?
ULC has a variety of certificate programs for security and life safety organizations. Because there are so many different types of centers that ULC audits and lists, it’s important to know exactly how your center would be categorized.
This is where it can start to get confusing. Requirements and procedures vary widely depending on your category. To get an idea of the range of possibilities, you could consult the Listing Categories & Certificate Service Procedures. However, that shouldn’t be your first move because there is a level of complexity here that can be daunting: the quickest way to get the right answers is to speak to ULC directly.
Your first course of action should be to contact ULC via email at [email protected]. Everyone who eventually receives a certification and is listed by ULC begins the process with an informational phone call with one of ULC’s auditor technologists. When you email ULC, they will respond promptly to set up a call, answer questions, and go over next steps.
During this call, the auditor technologist will lead you through a series of questions to help determine under which category your alarm monitoring center would be listed, and which specific procedures you would need to follow in order to become ULC certified. ULC will help you determine the right course of action and provide additional information about timelines, expectations, and associated costs.
If your company is new to ULC certification, or if you already have ULC certification but would like to add categories or service centers (or are renovating or relocating), you will work with their Engineering Services team directly, and they will perform the listing evaluation. Then, once you have received your ULC listing, you will work with the Audit Services team, whose job it is to conduct routine periodic audits for as long as you maintain your listing.
The process of becoming ULC listed should ultimately make your alarm monitoring center better, safer, and more reliable: ULC can help guide you as you ensure that your operations meet the highest industry standards.
How can we help you succeed?
At Bold Group, we believe complying with ULC standards should not be a burden, no matter the size of your monitoring operation. We have helped countless monitoring centers set up cloud-based alarm monitoring software and infrastructure operations and are prepared to help you meet the redundancy requirement with our ULC-approved solutions.
Reach out to Bold Group to talk through your best path forward to meet the redundancy requirement and retain your ULC listing.