» The federal government outlawed some 1,500 firearm models and variants in May 2020, meaning they could no longer be legally used, sold or imported.
The move was applauded by gun control advocates as a first step toward removing firearms used in mass shootings from circulation.
In October 2023, a Federal Court judge dismissed a request from opponents of the ban to strike it down as unlawful and beyond the scope of powers delegated to the government. The ruling was appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal.
In its decision made public Tuesday, the Federal Court of Appeal rejected the latest challenge, saying the Federal Court delivered “thorough and persuasive” reasons.
The list of guns outlawed by the federal government has grown to more than 2,500 varieties of what it calls assault-style firearms — semi-automatics with sustained rapid-fire capability.
Government officials say some 19,000 unique makes and models of non-restricted firearms remain available for hunting or sport shooting in Canada.
