Manufacturers and Importers to Share Firearms Specs

Summary#

This is a proposed change called the Regulations Amending the Firearms Licences Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on December 28, 2024. It would require businesses that manufacture or import firearms to share technical details about each shipment or production batch with the Registrar of Firearms before those firearms enter the Canadian market.

What it does#

• Requires licensed firearms manufacturers and importers to send basic technical information to the Registrar of Firearms for each batch or shipment before manufacture or import. The information must cover things like:
  • manufacturer, make and model
  • type, action and shot capacity
  • gauge or calibre, barrel length, and overall length
  • whether the firearm can accept a detachable magazine and its stock type
  • a detailed note on where identifying markings (make, model, calibre, serial number) appear on the firearm
  • evidence of design or manufacture date for certain semi‑automatic, centre‑fire firearms originally designed with detachable magazines (see the regulation for the exact condition)
• Requires manufacturers and importers to provide any extra technical information the Registrar asks for about a batch or shipment.
• Requires those businesses to keep records proving they provided the information for 20 years.
• The rule would be about batches or shipments, not individual serial numbers. Businesses would not have to wait for the Registrar’s reply before moving the shipment, to avoid supply disruptions.
• These requirements would be attached as conditions to business licences by a chief firearms officer. Non‑compliance could lead to enforcement actions, including licence revocation.
• This is a proposed regulation (not law yet). Comments on the proposal are invited for 45 days after publication. If adopted, the regulation would come into force 30 days after it is registered.

Who's affected#

• Mainly licensed businesses that import or manufacture firearms. The government estimates about 556 impacted businesses, of which 545 would be considered small businesses.
• These businesses represent less than 10% of all licensed firearms businesses in Canada.
• Retailers, ranges, individual licence holders (hunters, sport shooters) and most other firearms businesses are not affected.
• The Registrar of Firearms and the Canadian Firearms Program (RCMP) would process the information and carry out technical assessments. The government estimates it will need two full‑time staff at about $100,356 each per year to manage the work.

Why it matters#

• The change is meant to improve public safety by making sure authorities know what makes and models are entering the market. That helps avoid cases where a firearm that should be classed as restricted or prohibited is sold as non‑restricted by mistake.
• It would give police, border agents and regulators better technical information for classification, tracing and enforcement.
• The government says most of the requested information is already collected by many businesses, so the new rules aim to add limited paperwork while closing gaps.
• There is a cost: the federal estimate is $9,208,644 over 10 years, and an annualized administrative burden of about $346,609.43 (estimates are in government documents). The proposal says implementation should not slow supply chains because businesses do not have to wait for a response from the Registrar.
• The proposal has not yet been widely consulted with the affected businesses, and the public comment period through the Canada Gazette is part of the next step.