# Guns, Canada, and Tourism **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971 "2004-07-26T19:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sinful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Sinful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinful)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/1 "2004-07-26T19:13:58Z")
Since I’m too lazy to look up Canadian gun laws, and I plan to bring my evil American cowboy influences to your peaceful nation, are non-concealed handguns allowed to cross the border for non-residents? Also, how strict are the gun laws in Canada? I know that concealed weapons are obviously out of the question, but if I have the gun in proper line of sight and tell all the officers are they still permitted? Gun touting aside, what’s worth seeing in Canada? I won’t be taking a road trip for quite some time (read: a year, or two if I can’t graduate early), but I would like to skip all the shitty parts. Quebec is out too, because 1) I’ve already been there, and 2) I like speaking English. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/2 "2004-07-26T19:26:11Z")
Handguns are not allowed. If it is in plain site you will most likely be given the choice of leaving it at the border (possibly for retrieval on leaving Canada) or being refused entry. If you don’t declare it and it is found by a search, you would be refused entry and possibly face some criminal charges. I don’t about things like a hunting rifle though. As far as what to see in Canada, the Atlantic coast is beautiful. You’ve already seen Quebec. There is a lot to see in Ontario, but I’m not the person to tell you what. You can probably skip Manitoba and Saskatchewan and not lose any sleep. Southern Alberta and BC are also beautiful. Mountains and lakes make for great camping and fishing. If you get the chance the train ride from Calgary to Vancouver (or vice versa) is stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/3 "2004-07-26T19:29:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Canadian Firearms Restrictions > As of January 1, 2001, the procedures for bringing firearms into Canada, or for borrowing firearms while in Canada, changed as a result of mandatory licence requirements for all firearms owners and users in Canada. Any firearm or weapon brought into Canada must be declared. If a firearm or weapon is not declared, customs will confiscate it and you could face criminal charges. Travellers can bring a non-restricted firearm, such as a sporting rifle or a shotgun to Canada for hunting purposes, for use in competitions, as part of an in-transit movement through Canada, or for protection against wildlife in remote areas. > > Visitors who do not have a Canadian firearms licence will need to report their firearms to customs at the border, complete a non-resident firearms declaration form in triplicate, have it confirmed by a customs officer and pay a $50 (Canadian) fee. To save time at the border, you can download the form and complete it prior to arriving at the border. And check here [Canadian Firearms Centre](http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/en/visitors/default.asp) for more information. As for where to go, it’s a big country. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/4 "2004-07-26T19:40:04Z")
As for handguns > [@](#): > > Prohibited devices include: > > 1. Some large-capacity magazines designed for use on a semi-automatic centre-fire firearm. As a general rule, the maximum capacity of magazines for this type of firearm is 5 cartridges for long guns, 10 cartridges for handguns commonly found in Canada, and 5 cartridges for handguns not commonly found in Canada. This does not apply to magazines designed for rim-fire semi-automatic firearms. > 2. Replica firearms, except for replicas of antique firearms. Replica firearms are devices that look exactly or almost exactly like a real firearm but that cannot cause serious injury or death. As a rule, to be prohibited, a device must closely resemble an existing make and and model of firearm, not just a generic firearm. Many of these devices have to be assessed case by case. > > Restricted firearms include: > > ``` > * handguns that are not prohibited; > * non-prohibited semi-automatic, centre-fire firearms with a barrel length less than 470 mm; > * firearms that can fire after being reduced, by folding, telescoping or otherwise, to an overall length of less than 660 mm; and > * firearms specifically restricted by regulations (including some long guns). > > ``` Not being a gun owner I have no idea what this does allow. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/5 "2004-07-27T06:21:41Z")
Re concealed carry: it’s a federal crime under the [Criminal Code](http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/41775.html): > [@](#): > > **90.** (1) Every person commits an offence who carries a weapon, a prohibited device or any prohibited ammunition concealed, unless the person is authorized under the _Firearms Act_ to carry it concealed. I don’t know what exceptions there may be under the _Firearms Act_, but I doubt that a concealed carry permit would be obtained very easily. Here’s a Supreme Court case dealing with the issue of concealed carry. Individual was carrying a concealed .22 rifle on public transit; he apparently hid it because he didn’t think it proper to ride public transit carrying it openly. (He didn’t help his situation by joking that he was going on a killing spree when a transit official inquired about the rifle.) The Supreme Court held that he’d committed the offence of concealed carry: [R. v. Felawka](http://www.lexum.umontreal.ca/csc-scc/en/pub/1993/vol4/html/1993scr4_0199.html). And of course the disclaimer: none of this is intended for legal advice, but simply to comment on a matter of public interest. Anyone who needs information about the law governing concealed carry in Canada should consult a Canadian lawyer who is familiar with this area, or the Canadian Firearms Centre, linked in **Grey’s** post. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/6 "2004-07-27T07:13:46Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Handguns are not allowed. **adam** , do you mean to say that foreigners cannot bring handguns in, or are you saying that they’re prohibited entirely? If the former, I think I agree - I’m not sure of the details, but I think foreigners can only import long-guns. But if you’re saying that handguns are generally prohibited in Canada, even for Canadian residents, that’s not correct. A resident who already has a firearms licence can get a restricted weapon permit to possess a handgun, although on very restrictive terms. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/7 "2004-07-27T12:47:23Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > But if you’re saying that handguns are generally prohibited in Canada, even for Canadian residents, that’s not correct. A resident who already has a firearms licence can get a restricted weapon permit to possess a handgun, although on very restrictive terms. It is my understanding that in this case ‘very restrictive’ and ‘nearly impossible’ would be interchangable. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-canada-and-tourism/256971/8 "2004-07-27T20:50:41Z")
Do you have a cite for that understanding, **adam**? It doesn’t match the stats given at [this site](http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa030500c.htm), which in turn cites stats from the Canadian Firearms Centre: > [@](#): > > There are an estimated 7.4 million firearms in Canada, about **1.2 million** of which are restricted firearms ( **mostly handguns** ). Here’s the Centre’s explanation of the purposes for which [handguns can be possessed](http://www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca/en/owners_users/fact_sheets/restricted.asp): > [@](#): > > **Permitted Purposes For Owning A Restricted Firearm** > > In most cases, there are only four purposes for which you can be licensed to acquire and/or possess a restricted firearm: > > 1. For use in target practice or target shooting competitions; > 2. To form part of a gun collection; > 3. For use in connection with your lawful profession or occupation. > > Or in rare cases, > > ``` > 4. To protect life. > > ``` Last time I looked into this stuff in any detail, there were only about a hundred licences in the entire country where the individual possessed a handgun for the protection of life.