By rdnewsNOW staff

Provincial Politics

Government highlights second action taken under Alberta Firearms Act

Apr 25, 2023 | 4:26 PM

Officials with the provincial government say Alberta will require individuals and organizations employed to confiscate firearms to first be licensed by the province.

Government officials say this action fulfils a commitment under the Alberta Firearms Act to require individuals or organizations including police officers to first be licensed by the province.

Despite opposition from provinces and territories to the use of police resources, the UCP claims the federal government is signalling that it is prepared to take front-line police officers off the street to implement the federal firearms confiscation program.

Provincial officials say Public Safety Canada also appears to be considering contracting with untrained personnel to supplement the use of policing resources.

“Public Safety Canada is a large and inefficient bureaucracy,” says Tyler Shandro, Minister of Justice and Attorney General. “It does not have the resources or the wherewithal to fulfil its plans. In normal circumstances, the federal government would have hit the pause button. Unfortunately, we continue to receive indications that the opposite is occurring.”

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“Their decision to move forward with the confiscation program will jeopardize provincial requirements for the safe handling, transportation and storage of firearms,” adds Shandro. “We will not allow that to happen.”

As Canadians’ concerns about violent crime rise, provincial officials say the decision to potentially waste policing resources and contract with untrained personnel is reckless and would compromise public safety by jeopardizing the safe storage and handling of firearms, two areas of provincial jurisdiction.

“The Alberta chief firearms office continues to call on the federal government to focus its resources on illegal firearms activity rather than targeting law-abiding firearms owners. Taking firearms away from responsible owners will not improve public safety,” states Teri Bryant, chief firearms officer.

Alberta government quick facts

• This regulation does not affect normal police activity, such as having to confiscate a firearm as part of an investigation.
• There are 341,988 possession/acquisition licence holders in Alberta.
• Albertans own the second-highest number of firearms classified as restricted or prohibited by the federal government.
• There are 127 approved shooting ranges and more than 650 firearms-related businesses in Alberta.
• On average, 30,000 Albertans complete mandatory firearms safety course training annually, as a first step to obtaining their firearms licence. In 2021, that number jumped to 38,000, indicating a significant upward trend in legal gun ownership in the province.