Feds tweak draft regulations, following criticism, to ensure gun buyers have licence

OTTAWA — The Liberal government has revised draft firearm regulations to ensure someone buying a gun actually has a valid licence.

When Bill C-71 received royal assent in 2019, the government said it would require sellers to verify the validity of a firearms licence before selling a non-restricted firearm, such as a rifle or shotgun.

However, proposed regulations included no obligation on the part of a seller to check with the federal firearms registrar to see if a prospective gun buyer had a valid licence — an omission that sparked criticism from gun-control advocates.

Final regulations made public today have closed that loophole.