Commissioner Centralizes Protection-of-Life Carry Permits

Summary#

The final regulations titled Regulations Amending the Authorizations to Carry Restricted Firearms and Certain Handguns Regulations (SOR/2024-176) change who decides and manages certain carry permits. Starting October 1, 2024, decisions about Authorizations to Carry (ATCs) issued for the protection of life are moved from local Chief Firearms Officers (CFOs) to the federal Commissioner of Firearms.

What it does#

• Centralizes decision-making for ATCs given for the protection of life:
  • The Commissioner of Firearms now has the authority to issue, revoke and renew those ATCs.
  • CFOs keep authority over ATCs tied to a lawful profession or occupation (for example, cash-in-transit work or protection in remote areas).
• Makes protection-of-life ATCs usable across areas specified by the Commissioner, rather than being limited to one province or territory.
• Sets or clarifies practical conditions and rules:
  • An individual authorized to carry more than one covered firearm may carry no more than one at a time, and must carry it in a holster.
  • For ATCs tied to work, the holder must notify the CFO if they stop working in that role or change employers, and may need to wear a uniform when required.
  • ATCs can be revoked if the holder’s firearms licence is revoked or expires, if their physical or mental condition worsens in a way that affects safety, or if they stop the relevant employment.
  • Decisions to refuse or revoke must be given in writing with reasons, but authorities may withhold any information that could endanger safety.
  • Notices of decisions are sent to the address given on the application (or the updated address, if provided).
• Clarifies that the process to renew an ATC follows the same manner as issuing one.

Who's affected#

• People who hold or apply for an ATC for the protection of life — their applications and renewals will now be handled by the federal Commissioner of Firearms through the national Canadian Firearms Program (CFP).
• Chief Firearms Officers (CFOs) — they keep handling ATCs tied to professions or occupations but will no longer decide protection-of-life cases.
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and CFP staff because they operate the centralized process.
• Employers or workplaces that require occupational ATCs may still interact with CFOs for those specific authorizations.
• The regulation text says there are no impacts on businesses or on modern treaty/Indigenous obligations; if that is important to you, note that the source states no anticipated impacts, but local situations could vary.

Why it matters#

• The change creates a single, national decision-maker for the most serious personal-protection carry permits. That should make decisions more consistent across provinces and territories.
• If you need or already have an ATC for protection of life, you will still meet the same eligibility rules, but you will send applications and get decisions from a central office instead of a provincial CFO. Existing ATCs remain valid.
• The shift may affect how quickly or uniformly decisions are made, and where applicants look for help or information (federal CFP instead of a local CFO).