Feds create Chief Firearms Officer position for territories

The Northern Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut now have a dedicated Chief Firearms Officer appointed to serve northerners after the federal government announced the creation of the new position last week.

The new Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) will assume exclusive responsibility for all firearms services in all three Northern Territories, stated a release.

Duties of the CFO include administering firearms rules and regulations, licensing, authorizations and education under the Firearms Act.

The creation of the new position reflects one of the key findings of a 2024 review into the delivery of firearms regulation in the North which found shortfalls in firearms regulatory service delivery.

The establishment of a Northern based CFO has been a top item on the agenda of Yukon minister of justice Laura Lang since the election of the current Yukon Party government last year.

Speaking in a statement released after Thursday’s announcement, Lang said that she welcomed the decision to appoint a Northern CFO “at long last.”

Lang said she is “hopeful Yukon firearm owners see tangible benefits from a consistent CFO presence, compared to the previous intermittent service from a CFO located outside the Yukon,” and said that the creation of a Yukon based CFO position “was a theme we heard consistently from many Yukon firearm owners.”

Lang also said that the creation of a new CFO does not mean she will stop advocating against the federal government’s Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program.

“Our government will continue to support Yukon firearm owners and be clear with the Government of Canada about the impacts unreasonable federal firearms policies, including prohibitions, have on many Yukoners,” Lang said.

Noah Korver /  Local Journalism Initiative / Yukon News 

Canada has created a dedicated, in-territories Chief Firearms Officer:

Jurisdiction: Exclusive responsibility for firearms services, licensing, safety courses, and regulatory outreach across all three northern territories.

Transition: An open hiring process is underway for a permanent northern CFO. An interim CFO from the Yukon currently manages operations for the region.

Previous Setup: The Northwest Territories was previously administered out of an office located in Edmonton.

Since 2020, Ottawa has banned about 2,500 “assault-style” firearms, arguing they are designed for warfare and not hunting or sport shooting. Individuals had until March 31st to declare eligible prohibited firearms and collect compensation under the buyback program.

CBC North reported that just 81 firearms were turned in across the NWT during the buyback period.

( CKLB staff)