As of October 21st, pistols and other legally classified "handguns" are no longer legally available for purchase in Canada. While it may seem obvious to English speakers that this only applies to pistols, this statement covers a number of other designs described in the classification. For example, a submachine gun without a stock is also treated as a handgun. Of course, a number of regulations have a much wider spectrum and include many more elements. Therefore, in order not to blur the essence of the problem too much, I will use this rather imprecise statement later in the text.
Except for certain specific cases, the persons entitled under their firearm approval are no longer allowed to purchase small arms. It is worth noting that at the moment there is no obligation to return or resell previously purchased pistols. The same applies to the consideration of purchase applications - submitted by October 20 will be considered positively.
On August 19, a ban on the importation of this type of firearms entered into force. All this under the bill C-21, which is coming into force. The same one whose records potentially hit hard on replicas of firearms. This project envisages a significant restriction of firearms as such in Canada's public space. It is constantly supported by statistics that show a significant increase in crime with its use.
We have already written about firearms replicas, i.e. airsoft replicas, in End of airsoft in Canada?
At the moment, the position of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was that all replicas with a muzzle velocity of up to 500 fps and an energy not exceeding 5.7 joules can be purchased without compulsory registration. So so far, the possession and trade in airsoft replicas has remained quite safe.
However, taking into account the next steps of the government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to eliminate firearms from the public space, it does not have to end positively for local airsoft clubs . After all, we have a real-life example when the possession of "assault rifles" was forbidden. We wrote about it in Canada bans "military" weapons".
So now under ever newer restrictions, one would expect similar movements at any moment.
