Alberta gun owners struggle to renew licenses due to massive federal delays
With hunting seasons open across Alberta, many firearms owners are finding themselves facing a difficult decision.
To have a firearm you must have a possession and acquisition license – also known as a PAL – but unusually long delays in renewing licenses means some will have to pass on their annual hunting trips or risk running afoul of the law.
75-year-old Don Holloway of Calgary says he first mailed in his renewal back in March.
He says it was returned two months later with a note saying it was done incorrectly.
He re-did his application and sent it off again in May and his new licence still hasn't arrived.
"Am I illegally possessing my firearms because I don't have a PAL that's current? Even though it's in the application program?" Holloway said.
"I mean, does that make me a criminal?"
Holloway says he still hunts birds with a century-old shotgun given to him by his grandfather and relies on a deer each year for the meat he and his wife eat. He worries he may have to sit this year out for the first time in decades if his licence doesn't come through soon.
"Hunting season has started and without a PAL, you could be in hot water."
The RCMP in New Brunswick processes the vast majority of Canadian PAL renewals.
The delays are affecting as many as 60,000 or 70,000 Albertans this year and Alberta's chief firearms officer Teri Bryant says applications are taking between six and nine months to complete.
She cautions people that leaving home with a firearm without a valid licence is illegal.
"Well, you shouldn't do it. According to the law, you do have a six-month grace period," Bryant said. "But during that period, you're not supposed to be doing anything with your guns.
"This does put Alberta firearms owners in a very difficult spot, particularly if they're hunters, and there's a limited window of time when they can go out hunting."
The majority of Alberta's hunting seasons are open during the fall, lasting September through the end of November.
The province has committed $7 million to hire more staff to help RCMP get licence turnaround times back to 60 days for new applications and less for simple renewals.
There are approximately 340,000 licensed firearms owners in Alberta and 2.2 million in Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.