Canadian Airgun Forum

As of Dec. 2023: numbers are in.
https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/more-ca ... ecord-high

"More Canadian than hockey — Canada gun licenses hit record high
6:00am Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Despite — or perhaps, because of — the relentless campaign being waged against responsible gun owners by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, the number of Canadians with gun licenses has hit a new high. As of December 2023, there were over 2.35 million Canadians with an RCMP-vetted Possession and Acquisition License (PAL). According to the thegunblog.ca website, the “number of PAL holders rose by 87,694 in 2023, the biggest annual advance since at least 2003,” and, with the exception of the 2020 pandemic year, the number of licenses “has been climbing since 2009. ... More Canadian adults have a firearm licence [SIC] than play hockey.”

A PAL is required to own a firearm or ammunition. In addition, the RCMP website states that “[u]sually if you are in possession of a firearm, you need a licence even if you are not the owner and never handle the firearm.”

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Obtaining a PAL is a testament to the dedication and determination of individuals in the firearm-positive community. An applicant for a PAL must first pay for and successfully complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (in the case of “restricted” firearms, the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course as well), submit an application with supporting documents (including proof of identity, a photo plus the signature and personal information of the “photo guarantor,” two references, the signatures and personal information about the applicant’s current and past spouse/conjugal partner), and a non-refundable fee of C$64.54. The RCMP will conduct a criminal record check, background check, reference check and mental health check. There is a mandatory 28-day waiting period for first-time applicants. In terms of overall wait times, the RCMP advised last year that the processing time was generally 35 days, although not everyone would agree. One individual’s path to a PAL, documented by thegunblog.ca, took roughly four months and cost almost C$500. PALs must be renewed every five years.

Regardless, the popularity of firearms continues to rise. The trend in the True North mirrors what has been happening in the United States."

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Best Wishes
Daryl