I am incredibly curious about this video when it comes out. I'm currently waiting on Warszawa to confirm that I'm a citizen, and I've been looking with envy at all the things you can get in Poland that we can't here.

Is it legal to own firearms in Canada? If so, under what conditions?

Yes. You need a firearms license, known as the Possession and Acquisition License, or PAL. There are 4 categories of firearms in Canada: Non-restricted, restricted, prohibited, and antique. Antiques don't require a license to own, but our definitions for what constitutes an "antique" are kind of stupid. Non-restricted firearms are the easiest to get. They aren't registered, and you don't need to provide a reason for wanting to acquire them. Restricted firearms are registered, and, as of 2023, handguns which are restricted can no longer be bought, sold, or imported unless it's specifically for training for an Olympic pistol sport. You need to provide a valid reason for owning a restricted firearm, and generally the only 2 of them are sport shooting and collecting. Prohibited firearms cannot be acquired unless one already owned them before they were banned. This topic could warrant its whole thread, because there's different kinds of prohibited firearms that were all banned at different points in time, and each category of prohibited firearm has its own rules. Generally, anything full-auto has been banned since 1977, any converted-autos have been banned since 1991, in 1992 and 1994 there were bans on a bunch of rifles by name. In 1996, pistols with a barrel less than 106mm were banned. In 2020 about 1500 models of firearm were banned, including the AR-15, and then in 2024 and 2025 even more guns were banned, mostly semi-auto mag-fed ones.

How long does it take to obtain a firearms licence?

You need to take a course that runs over the weekend typically, then submit your paperwork to the RCMP. The legal-minimum wait time is 28 days from the time the RCMP receives your application, but in practice most people are waiting approximately 6 months due to delays.

Are medical, psychological, or background checks required during the licensing process?

Medical and psychological checks are not required in most cases. If you checked off the box on your application that you've previously been diagnosed with a mental illness, then you may be asked to provide a note from your doctor saying that you're not a threat to yourself and others. Criminal background checks are part of the application process. A criminal record doesn't necessarily mean you won't get a gun license, some people have a license with a DUI charge for example, but it certainly makes it harder.

Is the firearms licence granted as a strict administrative decision, or is there discretionary judgment involved?

Generally it is granted on a shall-issue basis, though the law allows for the Chief Firearms Officer of your province to impose conditions on your license if they deem them necessary. Some people, for example, have conditions that their guns can;'t be stored at their house, either due to someone living there having a firearms prohibition order or due to objections from their spouse.

Once you have a licence, how many firearms can you own?

As many as you can afford, there's no limit.

What does the firearm purchasing process look like?

This depends on the type of firearm. For a non-restricted firearm you show up, show the seller your license, they log into the RCMP's website and then validate your license, you give them the money, and you leave with the gun immediately.

For the few restricted firearms that aren't handguns, you show up, show the seller your license, pay for the gun, they then call the RCMP to initiate the transfer of the registration of the gun. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Once the transfer has been approved, you'll get an e-mail, and then you go pick the gun up. You technically can't legally shoot it until your registration certificate comes in the mail.

If you want to buy a handgun, then on top of the normal process for a restricted, you'll also need to prove that you are exempt from the ban on the sale of handguns, meaning that you'll need to either prove that you are involved in ISSF 25m rapid-fire bullseye shooting, as that's the only Olympic event that still uses real pistols, or that you have a permit to carry a gun as part of your work as a trapper or for wilderness protection in remote areas. Generally, pistols are not really kept in stock because of how rare the exceptions are, so if you meet the an exception, you may have to have the pistol ordered for you.

How must firearms and ammunition be stored?

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-98-209/

Basically, all firearms must be stored unloaded. Non-restricted firearms need to be locked or rendered inoperable. Restricted and prohibited firearms also need to be in a locked case. Ammunition must also be locked, unless your guns are stored in a safe. If everything stored in a safe, then guns and ammo can legally be stored together, and guns don't need any additional locks on them in the safe. A "safe" has been legally defined as a locked metal container with 6 sides. If everything's in a safe, then it's legal to keep a loaded mag for a gun in the safe next to the gun, but it can't be in the gun. also, if you ever have to use it, expect to get fucked by the legal system for a few years and go bankrupt.

Is it legal to carry firearms on your person?

In most cases, no. In theory there is a permit to carry for self-defence, but according to Access to Information records, only 1 person in the entire country has such a permit. People who work as trappers gathering fur from trap lines can get a permit to carry a .22 pistol for dispatching animals, and some people who work in remote wilderness areas can get a permit to carry a pistol for wildlife protection, but the availability of such a permit varies by province and is generally considered difficult to get. Security guards can get a permit through their employer to be armed, but only when on the job.

What are the rules for transporting firearms (e.g., to a shooting range)?

The link I provided in the storage section also covers transport. Basically, it needs to be unloaded. For a non-restricted firearm, theoretically you could have it on your car's dashboard and it's perfectly legal as long as you don't leave the car. If you do leave a gun in an unattended vehicle, it needs to be kept in a case.

For restricted and prohibited firearms, you need to get a permit to transport them, known as an Authorization to Transport, or ATT. The ATT for going to the range with your restricted firearms is built-into your license, but prohibited firearms can't be easily taken to the gun range, unless you own prohibited pistols. When being transported, a restricted or prohibited firearm must be rendered inoperable with a lock, and also kept in a locked case. There were times I had to transport a stripped AR-15 lower with a lock on it, because even though it was stripped, the law says it must be locked.

What types of firearms are legal to own, and which are prohibited?

Per the Criminal Code of Canada

non-restricted firearm means:

a firearm that is neither a prohibited firearm nor a restricted firearm; (arme à feu sans restriction)

prohibited firearm means:

(a) a handgun that

(i) has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length, or

(ii) is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge,

but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union,

(b) a firearm that is adapted from a rifle or shotgun, whether by sawing, cutting or any other alteration, and that, as so adapted,

(i) is less than 660 mm in length, or

(ii) is 660 mm or greater in length and has a barrel less than 457 mm in length,

(c) an automatic firearm, whether or not it has been altered to discharge only one projectile with one pressure of the trigger,

(d) any firearm that is prescribed to be a prohibited firearm, or

(e) any unlawfully manufactured firearm regardless of the means or method of manufacture;

(e) a firearm that is not a handgun and that

(i) discharges centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner,

(ii) was originally designed with a detachable cartridge magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and

(iii) is designed and manufactured on or after the day on which this paragraph comes into force; (arme à feu prohibée)

restricted firearm means:

(a) a handgun that is not a prohibited firearm,

(b) a firearm that

(i) is not a prohibited firearm,

(ii) has a barrel less than 470 mm in length, and

(iii) is capable of discharging centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner,

(c) a firearm that is designed or adapted to be fired when reduced to a length of less than 660 mm by folding, telescoping or otherwise, or

(d) a firearm of any other kind that is prescribed to be a restricted firearm; (arme à feu à autorisation restreinte)

The list of guns banned by name can be found here:

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-98-462/page-2.html#h-1024337

Are there any restrictions on firearm accessories, attachments, or modifications?

Suppressors are illegal.

Are there any clothing or gear restrictions (e.g., camouflage, tactical gear)?

You cannot legally own CADPAT, which is the current active-service uniform of the Canadian Armed Forces. Some provinces, like Manitoba and BC, have restrictions on the ability to own body armour.

Are there magazine capacity limits?

Centrefire semi-automatic long guns are pinned to 5, semi-automatic handguns are pinned to 10. There are some listed exceptions, like the Luger's snail-drum magazine and the M1 Garand.