New Regulations for Gun Users Visiting Canada.

Business Editors

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 28, 2000

CCRA The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency today reminded travellers to Canada that starting January 1, 2001, hunters and other visitors bringing firearms into Canada will have to follow new regulations under Canada's Firearms Act.

As of January 1, visitors who do not have a valid Canadian firearms licence will have to declare their firearms by completing a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Form and pay a CDN$50 confirmation fee.

Visitors can obtain the form by calling the Canadian Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000, or by downloading it from the Centre's Web site at: www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca. Visitors must complete three copies of the form before they arrive at the border. When they arrive at the border, they have to sign the forms in front of a customs officer and pay the CDN$50 confirmation fee. Visitors must keep their copy of the form during their stay in Canada. The form acts as a temporary licence and registration, and is valid for 60 days. Visitors may renew their temporary licence any time during a 12-month period without paying an additional fee.

Visitors who do not comply with the new legislation, cannot bring their firearms into Canada.

There are other options available to visitors who would like to bring firearms into Canada:

1. A valid Firearms Acquisition Certificate or a possession and acquisition licence: Individuals who possess a certificate or licence do not have to complete any additional forms at the border or pay any additional fees.

2. A borrower's licence: Visitors can borrow unrestricted firearms while in Canada if they have a valid certificate or licence, or an approved Temporary Firearms Borrowing Licence for Non-Residents. Visitors must obtain a borrower's licence, before they arrive at the border, from the Chief Firearms Officer of the province they will be visiting. This licence costs CDN$30 and can be renewed once in a 12-month period at no additional cost.

To bring restricted firearms into Canada (e.g., handguns), visitors must obtain an Authorization to Transport before they arrive at the border. Visitors can apply for an Authorization to Transport by contacting the Chief Firearms Officer for the province they will be visiting. More information is available by calling 1-800-731-4000.

Visitors can get more information about Canada's new firearms regulations by contacting:

Canadian Firearms Centre
Tel.: [phone] (toll free within Canada or the U.S.)
[phone] (outside Canada and the U.S.)
www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca


For border information, please contact:

Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
Tel.: [phone] (toll free in Canada)
[phone] or [phone] (outside Canada)
www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca

BACKGROUNDER

New Regulations for Gun Users Visiting Canada

Beginning January 1, 2001, non-resident hunters and sports people visiting Canada need a temporary licence to bring firearms across the border, or to borrow firearms. They will also need this licence to purchase ammunition or to acquire firearms while in Canada. Visitors who do not comply with the new legislation, cannot bring their firearms into Canada.

Options

- First, individuals with a valid Firearms Acquisition Certificate (FAC) or a possession and acquisition licence (PAL) (CAN$60 for five years for non-restricted firearms) do not have to complete any forms at the border. They must still verbally declare firearms to a customs officer for verification and show a licence. However, they will not have to pay additional fees to bring firearms across the border.

- Those individuals bringing firearms into Canada who do not have a valid FAC or a PAL must complete a 60-day, Non-Resident Firearm Declaration, in triplicate. To save time, they should complete a form before they arrive at the border. They can complete the form once, and photocopy the completed form twice if it has been downloaded from the Web site. The signature block on all copies must be left blank since the form must be signed in front of a customs officer, who will verify the declared firearms. This licence costs CAN$50 for all firearms that are being temporarily imported. It can be renewed any number of times for up to a year - at no additional cost.

- Those borrowing firearms while in Canada must have either a valid FAC or a PAL, or they must have an approved 60-day, Temporary Firearms Borrowing Licence for Non-residents. This licence costs CAN$30 and can be renewed once in a 12-month period - at no additional cost. It should be submitted ahead of time, and can be completed by someone else, such as an outfitter.

Other Important Things

- Visitors must be 18 years old to bring firearms into Canada. A minor's permit is available for those under 18 who want to use non-restricted firearms.

- Prohibited firearms and replica firearms are not allowed into Canada.

- If individuals are bringing restricted firearms into Canada (mainly handguns), they must not forget to apply ahead of time for an Authorization to Transport. The Authorization is available from the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) in the province(s) they intend to visit. The customs officer will want to see a paper copy of this document.

- Canada does not allow concealed weapons.

- Canada has additional laws for the safe transport, storage, lending, selling, and giving of firearms.

- Application forms and additional information about the legal requirements under the Firearms Act is available by calling 1-800-731-4000, or by downloading them from the Canadian Firearms Centre's Web site at: www.cfc-ccaf.gc.ca

- Application forms for confirmed declarations and temporary borrowing licences may also be obtained from customs offices, gun clubs, and outfitters. Applications for minors' licences and Authorization to Transport can only be obtained from a provincial or territorial Chief Firearms Officer by calling 1-800-731-4000.

For more information about the declaration process, call CCRA customs at: 1-204-983-3500 or 1-506-636-5064.