What is the legal age to own a firearm in Canada?

What is the legal age to own a firearm in Canada?

You have to be at least 18 years old to own a firearm in Canada. Those under 18 are not permitted to bring firearms into Canada or to acquire firearms by any means, even as a gift or an inheritance.

Can Canadians under 18 use a firearm?

Anyone under 18 can use a firearm of any class if they are under the immediate supervision of an adult who has a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). According to Ottawa Firearms Safety (OFS), the adult has to be “near enough to the minor to take immediate action to prevent any unsafe or illegal use of the firearm.”

Can Canadians under 18 be licenced to use a firearm?

Youths aged 12 to 17 can get a Minor's Licence to borrow a non-restricted rifle or shotgun for activities such as hunting or target shooting. That licence permits the borrowing of non-restricted firearms (ordinary rifles and shotguns) for activities such as:

• target practice;
• organized shooting competitions;
• hunting; and
• being instructed in the use of firearms.

Licensed minors can use a handgun if they are under the supervision of someone licensed to have that class of firearm. A Minor's Licence also permits the acquisition of ammunition, unless there is an age restriction under provincial or territorial law.

According to the RCMP, applicants for a Minor's Licence must:

• be at least 12 years old;
• Canadian residents;
• have completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course.

Exceptions from the requirement to take the safety course may be granted to minors who are applying as “sustenance hunters,” the RCMP says. It notes “this type of licence has no minimum age. Contact your Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) to see if you meet the requirements for ‘sustenance hunter’ in your province or territory.”

After a Minor's Licence application (form RCMP 5485) is filed, a Firearms Officer may interview the applicant or their parent or guardian, who must first agree and consent to the conditions under which the minor may use firearms. Those conditions may include some supervision when the minor uses a firearm.

What happens when the Minor’s Licence expires?

Minor’s Licences expire at the age of 18 and those who hold them must apply for an adult PAL.

How much does a Minor’s Licence cost?

According to the RCMP, this is a $10 charge for a new Minor's Licence for one year. The price doubles for a two-year licence and triples to $30 for any period longer than two years. Replacement licences are $10.

What if a minor uses a firearm to commit an offence?

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the use of a firearm in a crime will be considered an aggravating factor when it comes to sentencing. The Department of Justice states “The youth justice system must be separate from the adult system and must be based on the principle of diminished moral blameworthiness or culpability [as] young people lack the maturity of adults.”

The maximum sentence under the Act is 10 years, though serious crimes committed by youth can be dealt with by the regular court system with life sentences possible.

How common are firearm-related offences for youths?

According to Statistics Canada, firearm-related violent crime in 2020 was highest among young males aged 18 to 24 years (110 accused per 100,000 population), followed by male youths aged 12 to 17 (75 per 100,000). The male youth crime rate was higher than for male adults over the age of 25 (29 per 100,000).

StatsCan adds that “rates among women followed the same pattern, but were notably lower across all age groups, In all, there were five female accused per 100,000 females compared to 36 male accused per 100,000 males of all ages.”

According to the Department of Justice (DoJ) “the national rate of youth (age 12 to 17 years) accused of gun crime has significantly increased during the past few years.” It noted that in 2008 the charge rate for youth (12-17) for committing a firearm-related crime was 55.2 per 100,000 population, which was 48.6 per cent higher than the 2002 rate.

“Moreover, youth accused of committing a violent offence are more likely to use a firearm than adults,” the DoJ states. “In 2008, police reported that 1,424 youth were accused of a firearm-related violent offence, accounting for 6.1 per cent of all youth accused of violence. This percentage is more than double the proportion for adults.”

The DOJ report notes that youth gun crime often relates to gang-related activities, since “gang members are more likely to carry, use, and/or be victimized by a firearm … in Canada in 2008, firearms were involved in less than 30 per cent of all non-gang related homicides, yet firearms were used in nearly 70 per cent of all gang-related homicides. In addition, the use of firearms among youth gangs is generally becoming more prevalent and is especially acute in larger urban areas.”

Contact me for assistance

I have defended clients in courtrooms across the Ottawa region, working to ensure they receive a fair sentence. If you, a family member or a friend has been charged with a criminal offence involving firearms, contact me for a free consultation in either French or English.