Canadian Firearms Program
Canadian Firearms Program (CFP; French: Programme canadien des armes à feu), formerly Canada Firearms Centre is a Canadian government program within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Policing Support Services, responsible for licensing and regulating firearms in Canada.
Agency overview
2008
- Canada Firearms Centre
Firearm Registration and Licensing
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
$84 million[1]
- Michael Duheme, Commissioner of Firearms
- Bryan Larkin, Deputy Commissioner, Specialized Policing Services
As of December 31, 2020, the Canadian Firearms Program recorded a total of 2,206,755 valid firearms licences,[2] which is roughly 5.6% of the Canadian population. The four provinces with the highest number of issued licences are, in order, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. The provinces and territories with the highest rate of licensing are Yukon (18.5%), Newfoundland and Labrador (14%), Northwest Territories (12.1%) and New Brunswick (8.9%).[3][4]
History[edit]
Bill C-68: An Act Respecting Firearms and Other Weapons was assented in 1995, two years after the bill was introduced by the government to the House of Commons in targeting firearms licensing and registration. CFC was officially created and began operation in 1996 to oversee the administration of the Firearms Act, 1995 and the Canadian Firearms Program.[5]
On May 17, 2006, responsibility for the Canadian Firearms Program was transferred from the Ministry of Public Safety to the RCMP.
On September 4, 2008, the Canada Firearms Centre and the Firearms Support Services Directorate of RCMP was merged to create the Canadian Firearms Program.
CFP celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Central Processing Site in Miramichi, New Brunswick, in 2008.[6]