What are you looking for?

Number of gun licence owners rising

The number of gun licence owners in Canada grew 61,000 from 2023, according to the RCMP’s 2024 Commissioner of Firearms Report.

The number of licensed firearms holders in Canada continues to grow.

There were 2.425 million, an increase of nearly 61,000 from 2023, according to the RCMP’s 2024 Commissioner of Firearms Report. It’s not as much of a jump from 2022 to 2023, yet the total exceeded the five-year average.

Of the 2025 total, 1.6 million were non-restricted licence holders, 775,266 had restricted licences, 38,739 held a prohibited licence, and 13,505 were minor’s licence holders. The federal government estimates also indicate that 26% of Canadian households own at least one firearm and 95% of firearm-owning households in Canada possess long guns while less than 12% own handguns.


Originally published in the Ontario Out of Doors 2025-2026 Hunting Annual

For more guns and gear, click here

Click here for more outdoors news

Watch on-demand videos anytime on OFAH Stream

Related Stories

Water levels in the Great Lakes have sharply declined from record highs a few years ago to below-average conditions as of mid-November.
The Jan.-Feb. 2026 digital issue of Ontario Out of Doors magazine is now available. Become a member today for your digital access.
A working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is now required on every level of any residence with a fuel-burning appliance as of January 1, 2026.
The January 2026 solunar calendar is now available! Get the dates and times when fish and wildlife will be most active this month.
Ontario Out of Doors (OOD) is a finalist in two categories, Best Patriotic Story and Best Lifestyle Article, in the 2025 Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPA).
The 2026 Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, which comes into effect January 1, is now available as a downloadable PDF.