Firearms
WATCH: Mark Ryckman, OFAH Manager of Policy, delivers testimony and answers questions from the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Defence on firearms Bill C-21
OCTOBER 2023
The Government of Canada has extended the Amnesty Order for owners of firearms that were reclassified as prohibited via Order-in-Council in May 2020. The amnesty period has been extended to October 30, 2025.
The original Amnesty Order was set to expire on October 30, 2023 and was put in place to allow gun owners to continue to possess newly-prohibited firearms until the government could establish its mandatory buyback program.
The newly-prohibited firearms can no longer be legally used, sold, imported, transferred or transported except under specific circumstances listed here.
APRIL 2023
DECEMBER 2022
NEW: OFAH INSIDER — Bill C-21: 8 things than can and should be done by government
The OFAH has requested the Ontario Government voice its opposition to Bill C-21 in a letter to Premier Ford.
NOVEMBER 2022
The Federal Government has introduced a significant amendment to Bill C-21 at the committee stage that, if adopted, would expand the definition of a prohibited firearm to included semi-automatic rifles and shotguns “designed to accept a detachable cartridge magazine with a capacity greater than five cartridges of the type for which the firearm was originally designed”.
There are few details available at this point about what, where, when, or how the government sees this playing out, and during committee discussion on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, there was even obvious confusion among government officials about what would and wouldn’t be included.
As of right now there is no formal list of firearms captured in the amendment, however the definition as proposed is extremely broad and will almost surely include many traditional hunting firearms.
We have requested technical clarification from the Department of Justice and Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and will share those details in our Bill C-21 FAQ as we get them.
A clause-by-clause debate of the amendments is scheduled to continue at committee on Thursday.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Many firearms owners have contacted their elected officials on Bill C-71, the OIC prohibitions, the first round of Bill C-21, and the latest version of C-21 that is being discussed right now. You can do so as well, by using our easy-to-use online form to send emails to Members of Parliament.
UPDATE: BILL C-21 list of additional firearms
MAY/JUNE 2022
Bill C-21 was introduced in the House of Commons on May 30, 2022, and the link below provides introductory Frequently Asked Questions about the impact on firearms owners. Most of the information in these FAQs is directly from Public Safety Canada and/or statements by the Minister of Public Safety, Marco Mendicino. CLICK HERE to read the FAQ.
MAY 2022
As part of the comprehensive list of priorities we’ve outlined for the next provincial government heading into the June 2 election, the OFAH has outlined what we’re asking for when it comes to dealing with municipal firearms restrictions. CLICK HERE to read more.
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Latest Firearm Issue Updates (Discharge, Bills, Etc)
- Trent Hills Considering Development of Firearms Discharge By-law Updated: March 22, 2024
- Bill C-21: Call to Action Updated: March 15, 2023
- Town of Grimsby – Discharge of Firearms and Bows By-Law Updated: March 10, 2023
- RCMP’s Firearms Reference Table (FRT) Updated: November 25, 2022
- Bill C-21 Frequently Asked Questions Updated: June 1, 2022
- Bill C-71 Updated: May 12, 2022
- Town of Huntsville proposing new firearms by-law Updated: July 23, 2020
- 2020 Firearms Ban Updated: May 28, 2020
- Criticisms of OFAH’s position on firearms Updated: February 14, 2020
- Township of North Dumfries – Discharge of Firearms By-law Review Updated: September 9, 2019
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2021
SEPTEMBER 2021
JULY 2021
The OFAH provides a critical analysis of the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS) for the proposed Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Firearms Act. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
MAY 2021
- Firearms Policy in Canada
- Firearm Facts: Realities of Firearms Ownership and Use in Canada
- The Facts: About Gun Violence and the Effectiveness of Firearm Bans
- OIC Firearm Prohibitions
- Bill C-21
APRIL 2021
The OFAH receives a number of questions each year related to the process for acquiring a firearms licence, both non-restricted and restricted. CLICK HERE to view resources that help outline the process for those interested in acquiring either or both licences.
MARCH 2021
Watch a recording of the members-only Q&A on firearms policy, originally hosted by OFAH on March 23.
FEBRUARY 2021
Preliminary OFAH backgrounder on Municipal section of Bill C-21
Federal government announces new firearms legislation (Feb. 16, 2021) — Read more here.
Additional background:
Bill C-21: https://parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/43-2/bill/C-21/first-reading
Public Safety Explanation of Bill C-21: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/cntrng-crm/frrms/c21-en.aspx#s01
2020
SEPTEMBER 2020
JULY 2020
MAY 2020
FIREARMS BAN FAQ — May 2020
Following the federal government announcement on May 1, 2020 that banned the purchase, sale, transport, import and use of 1,500 models, variants or modified versions of firearms in Canada, the uncertainty of exactly what all of that means has left the firearms community with many valid questions and concerns. We’ve addressed a collection of those questions here.
BREAKING NEWS — Federal government announces firearms ban — May 1, 2020
FEBRUARY 2020
Ontario OUT of DOORS — Feb, 3, 2020 — E-2341 now most signed e-petition
JANUARY 2020
Ontario OUT of DOORS — Jan 15, 2020 — Firearms petition gaining steam
Previous Updates
DECEMBER 2019
Media release — OFAH comments on government plan that targets law-abiding Canadian firearm owners
OCTOBER 2019
FEDERAL ELECTION REACTION — While Parliament may be divided, the outdoors community is not. Once again, Canada’s democratic process brought out the best in anglers, hunters and trappers across the nation. We commend everyone who voted in the October election. The OFAH remains focused on standing up for our core values. It’s a new government and today is a new day to think about your future as a firearms owner and the outdoors legacy that we vow to keep fighting for. Election results won’t stop the OFAH and our partners in the National Fishing and Hunting Collaborative from aggressively pursuing our national priorities.
SEPTEMBER 2019
The National Fishing and Hunting Collaborative is a group of non-partisan, non-profit fishing and hunting organizations that work collaboratively to provide national leadership on important conservation issues and a voice for more than 375,000 Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
Read more about the NFHC and firearms policy here.
APRIL 2019
Public Safety Canada has released the long-awaited Engagement Summary Report on Reducing Violent Crime: A Dialogue on Handguns and Assault-Style Firearms.
FEBRUARY 2019
The OFAH met with the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, in early February 2019 to discuss firearms policy for a second time. The discussion focused on Bill C-71, handgun bans, and UN marking.
Please click here for more information on that meeting.
DECEMBER 2018
In late 2018, Public Safety Canada released a background document and questionnaire titled: “A dialogue on handguns and assault weapons”. Click here for the OFAH’s written submission to Public Safety Canada. The OFAH also met with the federal government — including with Minister Blair in December 2018 — to discuss the concerns of the firearms community.
OCTOBER 2018
Bill 30, An Act to amend the Ammunition Regulation Act, 1994 with respect to the sale of handgun ammunition (Fighting Back Against Handguns Act) was a Private Members’ Bill introduced in the Ontario Legislature that aimed to allow municipalities to pass by-laws prohibiting the sale of handgun ammunition within their boundaries. The bill was quietly defeated in early October 2018. The firearms community welcomes this decision and is appreciative of the recognition that law-abiding citizens aren’t the problem and that short-sighted feel-good policies won’t cure gun violence in this province.
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