New Firearms Inspections and Compensation Rules

Summary#

This bill updates The Saskatchewan Firearms Act. It clarifies who can act for the province on firearms matters, expands inspection and enforcement powers, and creates a new path for owners to seek compensation when federal rules take away their right to own or transfer certain guns.

Key changes:

• Lets the minister name a firearms commissioner, plus deputy and assistant commissioners, and delegate duties to them.
• Extends the ban on illegal importing or exporting firearms and related items from businesses to all people.
• Expands offence and penalty rules to cover all of Part 3 of the Act, and makes it an offence to disobey a court order under the Act.
• Allows inspections of shooting clubs and ranges in Saskatchewan, including checking facilities, firearms, and records.
• Allows medical professionals to report, in good faith, a person whose health makes firearm use dangerous; reports are protected and can be shared only with officials.
• Requires firearm safety instructors to be designated by the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO); the CFO can revoke designations and set published policies.
• Creates a “deemed seizure” process: if federal rules remove ownership or transfer rights and an owner isn’t fully paid within 12 months, the firearm is treated as seized and the Government of Canada must pay fair market value. The commissioner can store firearms during this process, and owners must arrange destruction or deactivation once paid.

What it means for you#

• Owners of firearms

  • If federal rules ban your gun or block transfers, and you don’t get full payment within 12 months, your firearm is treated as seized. You can ask the Saskatchewan Firearms Commissioner to set its fair market value, and the federal government must pay you.
  • The commissioner can collect and store your firearm while you seek compensation. The commissioner or their contractor won’t pay you; payment is from the federal government.
  • After you receive full payment, you must tell the commissioner and then destroy or deactivate the firearm as directed.
  • Guns seized for law enforcement must be tested for criminal history only if they have been owned by an individual.
  • “Owner” now clearly includes heirs and legal representatives, which may ease estate or insurance issues.

• Shooting clubs and shooting ranges

  • Provincial firearms officers can inspect your site at reasonable times. They may check facilities, open containers, examine firearms and ammo, review and copy records, and ask questions. Obstructing an inspection is an offence.

• Firearm safety instructors and trainers

  • You must be designated by the CFO to teach the Canadian Firearms Safety Course or run its tests. The CFO can revoke your designation and will publish policies and guidelines you must follow.
  • Teaching or testing without designation, or breaking CFO policies or prescribed rules, is an offence.

• Medical professionals (e.g., physicians; others may be added by regulation)

  • You may report a licensed (or applying) firearm owner if, in your opinion, a health condition makes it dangerous for them to have or use a gun.
  • Good‑faith reports are protected from lawsuits, kept confidential, and can be shared only with specified officials for safety checks.

• Individuals and businesses

  • It is illegal for any person (not just businesses) to import or export prohibited, restricted, or non‑restricted firearms, prohibited devices, or certain ammunition without proper federal authority.

• Corporations and their officers

  • If a corporation breaks Part 3 of the Act, responsible officers and directors can be personally liable, even if the corporation itself is not prosecuted.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Improves public safety by enabling inspections of ranges and allowing doctors to flag serious risks, while keeping reports confidential.
• Clarifies provincial roles by letting the minister delegate to deputies and assistants so decisions can be made faster.
• Cracks down on illegal import and export by applying the rule to everyone, not just businesses.
• Protects lawful owners by creating a clear path to fair market compensation when federal rules remove ownership or transfer rights.
• Sets consistent standards for firearm safety instruction, which can improve training quality and compliance.

Opponents' View#

• Medical reporting could raise privacy worries and may discourage some people from seeking care or being open with providers.
• Inspection powers may feel intrusive to clubs and ranges and add paperwork and compliance costs.
• Letting the CFO revoke an instructor’s designation “for any reason” may seem too broad and could lack clear appeal routes.
• Expanding offences to all of Part 3 could expose more people and groups to penalties for administrative mistakes.
• The compensation process relies on federal payment, which the province cannot control; owners may still face delays or uncertainty.