Target Shooters

Fact Sheet

This fact sheet explains how the Firearms Act applies to you if you wish to use a firearm for target shooting.

As set out in the Shooting Club and Shooting Ranges Regulations, a “shooting range” means a place that is designed or intended for the safe discharge, on a regular and structured basis, of firearms for the purpose of target practice or target shooting competitions.  All shooting ranges operate under the approval of the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) of the province or territory in which they are located, unless:

1. They are on the premises of a licensed firearms business and are used only by licensed owners and employees of that business; or
2. They are only used by public officers, such as police officers, in relation to their lawful employment duties.

To find out if a club or range that you want to join has been approved by the province’s CFO, please call 1-800-731-4000.

For the safety of all participants, please follow all transportation and handling regulations.

Authorizations to Transport Restricted Firearms and Prohibited Handguns

You need an Authorization to Transport (ATT), issued by a CFO in order to transport a restricted or prohibited firearm to or from anywhere in Canada. It is only valid for the specific locations indicated on it. A separate ATT will be required for additional locations.

For Target Practice…

An ATT can be issued for a term of:

1. up to five years; or
2. up to the expiry date of your firearms licence; or
3. up to the expiry of your shooting club membership …whichever comes first.

A “long-term” ATT is issued for a period of up to five years and is intended to cover multiple trips for the same purpose. Example: transport to/from a shooting club/range for target practice. In this case, complete form CAFC 679 and submit it to the office of the applicable CFO. A copy of your valid shooting club membership card must be provided as well.

Probationary Club Memberships

Some shooting clubs/ranges have introduced “probationary” club memberships. These temporary memberships are designed for potential club/range members who are new to the club or previous members who have not actively used the range for a specified period of time (i.e., 2-3 years). The terms and conditions of these memberships (such as duration and attendance at range safety seminars) are established and monitored by the shooting club/range.

For the purposes of the issuance of a long-term ATT for target practice, proof must be provided to the CFO that the ATT applicant has a “full” club membership (i.e., has met the terms and conditions of the probationary membership and has been issued a subsequent “full” club/range membership).

Licence Renewal

On renewal of a firearms licence (every five years as required by law) and in accordance with Section 67(2) of the Firearms Act, a CFO is required to review and confirm the purpose for which an individual possesses restricted/prohibited firearms.

Allowable purposes for possession, under Section 28(b) of the Firearms Act, include: a) target practice or target shooting competition; or b) to form part of a firearms collection. As part of the confirmation of purpose, the CFO “…shall decide whether any of those firearms or handguns that the individual possesses are being used for…” target practice/competition or collection.

Further, the CFO has the authority under Section 15(1) of the Shooting Clubs and Shooting Ranges Regulations to request written confirmation from a shooting club/range of “…the participation, if any, of a current or past member…of the shooting club…in target practice or target shooting competitions within the previous five years… .” What this means is that an individual must demonstrate to the CFO that they possess the firearm for the purpose they indicated when the firearm was acquired.  The CFO is able to confirm the purpose by looking at an individual’s history of ATT issuance over the term of their licence (for target practice) and by reviewing the records kept by a club/range.

If the CFO determines that the restricted/prohibited firearm is not being used for the purpose stated by the individual, the CFO can recommend to the Canadian Firearms Program that the registration certificate for the firearm be revoked. If revoked, the individual would be required to dispose of the firearm (transfer of registration, turn-in to police for destruction).

For Other Purposes

As an owner of a restricted or prohibited firearm, you are also required to obtain an ATT for purposes other than target shooting. A short-term ATT is intended to apply to a
one-time trip. Examples: transportation of a restricted or prohibited firearm due to change of address or for consignment sale, repair and appraisal.

The information required to issue the ATT in this case may be provided to the CFO of the province in which you reside, by telephone, at 1-800-731-4000. Once the ATT has been approved, the document can be sent to you by fax; the original will follow by mail.

Please note that if you are moving, and plan to relocate restricted/prohibited firearms, you must obtain an ATT prior to the move. This will also serve to update your address and ensure that you receive relevant and timely information related to the Firearms Act. Moving a restricted or prohibited firearm without an ATT could result in charges being laid against you under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Non-Resident Target Shooters

If you do not have a valid Canadian firearms licence, a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration (form 909) that has been confirmed by a customs officer at your point of entry has the same affect as a firearms licence for up to 60 days. If you are bringing a restricted firearm, you will generally need to wait until you arrive in Canada and a customs officer has confirmed your declaration and then apply by phone for an ATT. All of the CFO offices can be reached from Monday to Friday, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., by calling 1-800-731-4000.

Information

For more information, contact the CFP.

This fact sheet is intended to provide general information only. For legal references, please refer to the Firearms Act and its Regulations. Provincial, territorial and municipal laws, regulations and policies may also apply.

Le présent feuillet d'information est également disponible en français.

Revised May 2009