Alberta invests $7 million in Chief Firearms Office next year

The Alberta government is expanding its main firearms office as part of an effort to expedite administrative tasks in the province.

Attorney General Tyler Shandro said the expansion will include a $700,000 funding increase for the current year, growing to more than $7 million next year and $5.2 million a year later.

The money will be used to hire 40 new Chief Firearms Office positions that will allow the office to handle license applications, transfers and other administrative tasks in the province.

According to the RCMP, the Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) is the only license currently available to new applicants, renewable every five years. Generally, applicants must have completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course.

Shandro said the federal government’s proposed handgun ban led to an “unprecedented” surge in handgun sales and transfers this spring. According to Shandro, the province has not been able to keep up with demand.

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“Many of these firearm owners have had to deal with the Canadian firearms program, which is a federal program administered by the RCMP … This program is poorly managed, understaffed and subject to the political whims of Ottawa,” the Attorney General said at a news briefing Thursday.

“The federal government shrugged, which has caused wait times to skyrocket.”

Chief Firearms Officer Teri Bryant also said the funding will enhance the office’s goal of keeping communities safe, which includes advocating “common sense” federal legislation to support law-abiding gun owners.

“The threat of state buybacks and national freezes on handguns continue to clash with Alberta’s handgun culture and offer little public safety benefit,” Bryant said.