Harper Government announces new provisions of the Common Sense Firearms Licencing Act are coming into force‏

July 31, 2015 - Harper Government announces new provisions of the Common
Sense Firearms Licencing Act are coming into force
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1014549 

Today, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the
Honourable Steven Blaney, announced the coming into force of two additional
provisions under the Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act. Effective
September 2, 2015, these changes to the Firearms Act will come into force:

The elimination of the Possession Only Licence (POL) and conversion of all
existing POLs to Possession and Acquisition Licences (PALs); and
The Authorization to Transport (ATT) becoming a condition of a licence for
certain routine and lawful activities. The elimination of the POL and
conversion of all existing POLs to PALs simplifies the firearms licencing
regime by eliminating one type of licence for adults. Specifically, it
provides the roughly 530,000 holders of Possession Only Licences (POL) with
acquisition privileges, formerly reserved for Possession and Acquisition
Licence (PAL) holders. POL holders will be authorized to acquire the types
of firearms they are currently authorized to possess. The conversion of
existing POLs to PALs will happen automatically with no action required by
holders of valid POLs. 

Currently, firearms owners apply to a Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) when they
wish to transport restricted and prohibited firearms, and they carry the ATT
as a separate document. The changes to the ATT provision mean that an ATT
will be automatically attached as a condition on a licence. Therefore
licence holders will no longer have to apply separately in order to
transport those firearms to certain routine activities such as target
shooting; taking a firearm home after a transfer; going to a gunsmith, gun
show, a Canadian port of exit or a peace officer or a CFO for verification,
registration or disposal.

QUICK FACTS

. Authorizations to Transport are not required for non-restricted firearms.
. These two additional provisions are now added to the ones that came into
force last June under the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code to do the
following:
- Make classroom participation in firearms safety courses mandatory for
first-time licence applicants;
- Clarify that the discretionary authority of Chief Firearms Officers is
subject to the regulations;
- Strengthen the Criminal Code provisions relating to orders prohibiting the
possession of firearms where a person is convicted of an offence involving
domestic violence; and
- Provide the Governor in Council with the authority to prescribe firearms
to be non-restricted or restricted (such prescribing would be informed by
independent expert advice).

QUOTES

"The coming into force of these important changes under the Common Sense
Firearms Licensing Act once again delivers on our government's promise to
support law-abiding firearms owners. Together, these measures aim to
streamline licensing and eliminate needless red tape. My foremost priority
is keeping the public safe through common sense policies. Our government
will always stand-up for law abiding hunters, farmers and sport-shooters." 

The Honourable Steven Blaney, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness
Associated Links
RCMP Canadian Firearms Program
The Common Sense Firearms Licensing Act receives Royal Assent
Harper Government announces commons sense firearms measures for law-abiding
firearms owners
Contacts
Etienne Rainville
Press Secretary
Office of Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-991-2924

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
media@sp-ps.gc.ca