On Friday April 6, 2012 at 12:00 AM, the long gun registry was officially abolished. Well, in most of Canada, at least. Due to pending litigation before the Quebec Superior Court, Quebec residents are still bound by the registration requirements of the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code.
The announcement was made official by this blurb on the RCMP’s Canadian Firearms Program website:
Changes to the Canadian Firearms Program
On April 5, 2012, Bill C-19, Ending the Long-Gun RegistryAct, came into effect. The key changes are as follows:
- Removal of the requirement to register non-restricted firearms
- Destruction of the existing non-restricted firearms registration records
- Allowing the transferor of a non-restricted firearm to obtain confirmation of a transferee’s firearms acquisition licence prior to the transfer being finalized
Until further notice, due to a Court Order issued by the Quebec Superior Court, residents of Quebec are still required to register non-restricted firearms with the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.
It is important to note that the new law does not change the requirement for all individuals to hold a licence in order to possess a firearm. The licensing, safety training and safe storage requirements for anyone who uses or owns a firearm continue to be in force.
The legislation also does not impact registration requirements for restricted or prohibited firearms.