Firearms

Public Safety Canada is responsible for providing leadership on firearms policy, including the development of legislative and regulatory proposals to address firearms violence and crime, as well as for the safe and legal use of firearms and the administration of the Firearms Act.

Former Bill C-21: An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms) is part of the Government of Canada's comprehensive plan to strengthen gun control in Canada and keep Canadians safe from gun violence. Most measures to implement former Bill C-21 are now in effect. Implementation of the measure requiring the revocation and refusal of a firearms licence for those subject to a protection order is ongoing.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act regulatory amendments to allow removal at Port of Entry for straightforward criminal offences (e.g., carrying concealed weapon, unauthorized possession of firearm), July 2024
• New licence requirements for import and transfer of ammunition, cartridge magazines and specific firearm parts, September 1, 2024
• Offences related to firearms parts, September 1, 2024
• Centralization of decision-making for protection of life Authorizations to Carry, October 1, 2024
• Temporary licence suspension ("Yellow Flag" Laws), March 7, 2025
• Enhanced licence revocation and refusal authorities, April 4, 2025

Proposed regulations

The Forward Regulatory Plan 2024-2026 provides information on regulatory proposals that Public Safety Canada expects to bring forward over the next two years.

Active regulatory proposals:

• Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 159, Number 10: Regulations Amending the Firearms Licences Regulations
• Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 158, Number 52: Regulations Amending the Firearms Licences Regulations

Preventing firearm-related harm or misuse

The Government is committed to addressing self-harm and domestic, gender-based, and intimate partner violence involving firearms. Learn more about preventing firearm-related harm or misuse including "red flag" laws and resources.

Prohibition on assault-style firearms

As part of its long-standing commitment to tackling gun violence in Canadian communities, the Government of Canada has banned more than 2,500 makes and models of assault-style firearms since May 2020.

The prohibition also includes certain components of some prohibited firearms (the upper receivers of M16, AR-10, AR-15, and M4 patterns of firearms), which were classified as prohibited devices. Firearms that exceed a maximum threshold for muzzle energy (greater than 10,000 Joules) and bore diameter (20 mm bore or greater) are also prohibited.

A Criminal Code amnesty period is currently in effect until October 30, 2026. The amnesty is designed to protect individuals or businesses who, at the time the prohibition came into force, were in lawful possession of a prohibited firearm while they take steps to comply with the law.

• Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program
• List of prohibited firearms (2020 prohibition)
• List of prohibited firearms (2024 prohibition)
• List of prohibited firearms (2025 prohibition)
• Questions and answers: changes to prohibited firearms
• Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted

Date modified:

2025-10-28