Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

New regulations allow Canada Post to ship prohibited firearms returned in gun buyback

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Oct, 2024 10:44 AM
  • New regulations allow Canada Post to ship prohibited firearms returned in gun buyback

The federal government is giving Canada Post the ability to store and transport prohibited firearms in new regulations that bring the retail gun buyback program one step closer to beginning. 

An order-in-council dated Oct. 16 allows for prohibited assault-style firearms to be removed from safes at firearms retailers, transported and ultimately destroyed. 

More than 1,500 models of firearms were banned in May 2020 after a mass shooting in Nova Scotia left 23 people dead, including the gunman.

Since then, retailers that have the weapons have been required to securely keep them in their inventory. 

"Once the program launches, the updated shipping regulations will make the affected firearms and devices mailable matter and will temporarily permit businesses taking part in the program to ship firearms or devices via post," said Gabriel Brunet, spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, in a statement on Friday.

LeBlanc previously said that the long-promised gun buyback would begin this fall. 

First, the government will buy banned firearms from retail stores and have them destroyed. An individual buyback program for people who own prohibited weapons begins next year. 

In a statement, Canada Post said it is prepared to take part in the first phase of the buyback program, because retailers are already familiar with the strict rules required to safely mail firearms. 

The Crown corporation maintains it will not take part in the second phase of the buyback program, involving individual firearm owners, because of concerns with employee safety.

The Criminal Code amnesty for owning prohibited assault-style firearms has been extended twice so far, and is now set to expire on Oct. 30, 2025. The regulations allowing these firearms to be mailed expires on the same date.

MORE National ARTICLES

Banff bus fire strands U.K. students on ski trip; no injuries

Banff bus fire strands U.K. students on ski trip; no injuries
Two dozen youth visiting from the United Kingdom were shuttled to safety after their tour bus caught fire on a scenic highway in Banff National Park.  At about 5 p.m. yesterday, R-C-M-P in Lake Louise were called to the fire on the Icefields Parkway.  

Banff bus fire strands U.K. students on ski trip; no injuries

Solo skier dies in avalanche in eastern B.C. Rockies

Solo skier dies in avalanche in eastern B.C. Rockies
A solo skier has been found dead days after an avalanche in eastern British Columbia.  Avalanche Canada says the snow slide happened Friday on Cathedral Mountain in Yoho National Park.

Solo skier dies in avalanche in eastern B.C. Rockies

No tsunami danger to B.C. after earthquake in Taiwan, officials say

No tsunami danger to B.C. after earthquake in Taiwan, officials say
There appears to be no tsunami threat to the Pacific coastal areas of North America following a strong earthquake in Taiwan. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center says no tsunami is expected in B.C., Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington state.

No tsunami danger to B.C. after earthquake in Taiwan, officials say

B.C. to ban some 'personal use' evictions, stop rent increases over new children

B.C. to ban some 'personal use' evictions, stop rent increases over new children
The British Columbia government is changing rental laws to stop bad-faith evictions, protect families who have had a child and help landlords with problematic tenants.  Premier David Eby said the government is seeing more landlords invoke the "personal use" rule, which allows them or their family to move into a unit, as an excuse to evict long-term tenants paying lower rents.

B.C. to ban some 'personal use' evictions, stop rent increases over new children

B.C. records net loss of more than 8,600 in interprovincial migration in 2023

B.C. records net loss of more than 8,600 in interprovincial migration in 2023
British Columbia had more people moving out to other provinces in 2023 than those coming in the opposite direction for the first time in more than a decade, according to figures from Statistics Canada. The agency says B.C. recorded a net loss of 8,624 people in interprovincial migration last year, something that hasn't happened since 2012.  

B.C. records net loss of more than 8,600 in interprovincial migration in 2023

Ottawa to launch $6B infrastructure fund to help build homes — with strings attached

Ottawa to launch $6B infrastructure fund to help build homes — with strings attached
The upcoming federal budget will include a $6-billion infrastructure fund to support homebuilding as well as a $400 million top-up to the housing accelerator fund, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.

Ottawa to launch $6B infrastructure fund to help build homes — with strings attached