The Feds Are Introducing Tighter Laws For Gun Sales In Canada & Here's What's Changing

New firearm laws are coming to Canada as a way to regulate the sale of guns in the country.

Coming into effect on May 18, a new law says that anyone transferring or selling a gun in Canada will have to confirm the buyer's identity and make sure they have a valid firearms license.

This will apply to both retail and individual transactions.

"The new rule will help prevent people who are not allowed to have a firearm from getting one," reads the Government of Canada's statement on the updated regulation.

In order to make this easier for both businesses and individuals, there will be an online portal that will allow sellers to confirm the validity of someone's firearms license.

Along with this background check, before a gun is transferred, businesses that sell guns will have to keep records of sales and inventory related to legal firearms – a strategy to make tracing gun crimes easier for police.

The federal government also points out that these records will be overseen by businesses only and that there must be reasonable grounds for law enforcement to be granted access to them.

The new regulations are a part of the former Bill C-71, which was made into law in June 2019.

Marco Mendicino, the Minister of Public Safety, announced the bill on May 11, stating that "Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities."

"Today’s regulations under Bill C-71 will help ensure that firearms do not end up in the wrong hands, assist police in tracing guns used in crime, and are part of the broader strategy to keep communities safe," continued Mendicino.

Before the new regulations, such checks and record-keeping were not mandatory when a legal firearm was sold or transferred.

However, the Conservative Party of Canada has already spoken out about this new law. In a statement, the party said that "the vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegally obtained firearms."

"Trudeau’s firearm registry does absolutely nothing to stop the flow of illegally acquired guns."

This isn't the only proposed new gun control legislation in Canada.

The Ontario Liberals have also recently promised to ban handguns in the province if elected in the upcoming election.