Anti-Smuggling Investments in the CBSA and RCMP

Date: December 16, 2021       
Classification: Unclassified
Branch / Agency: CPB

Proposed Response:

• The RCMP and CBSA are taking significant steps to stop illegal guns at their source — to stop smuggling across the border, trafficking within Canada, and diversion from the legal market through domestic straw purchasing and theft.
• Our Government has invested $125M to enhance the RCMP and CBSA’s capacity to detect and disrupt gun smuggling.
• The results are clear. Even with significantly fewer passengers due to COVID border closures, in 2020-2021, the CBSA detector dogs were involved in the seizure of 72 firearms, 110 magazines, and 6 prohibited weapons.
• Just a few weeks ago in Cornwall, the RCMP seized 53 pistols, 104 assorted magazines and 6 Griffin Armament AR-15 variants. 
• In March of this year, the RCMP had another significant seizure near the border in Dundee, Quebec where they seized 5 hockey equipment bags containing 249 prohibited Glock handguns and 249 prohibited magazines capable of holding 15 rounds each.
• But, we more is needed. That is why we have invested an additional $312M over 5 years, beginning this year, to enhance our capacity to better identify, disrupt and prevent firearms from entering the illicit market.
• We are investing $15.5M to increase the RCMP’s capacity to trace firearms and $40.4M for anti-smuggling activities, which includes building a national system that allows for the flagging of bulk purchases of firearms.
• This funding is enhancing firearms investigations, and strengthening controls at the border, to prevent illegal firearms from entering the country.

If pressed on use of CERB funding to buy illegal firearms:

• Our government has zero tolerance for fraud.
• The safety and security of all Canadians is a top priority for our Government and we remain committed to combatting gun trafficking and organized crime in all its forms.

Background:

Firearms smuggling refers to the illegal importation of firearms across an international border. Firearms trafficking is not limited to international borders and includes the illegal domestic transfer of firearms through criminal diversion and straw purchasing. 

Cross-Border Smuggling

The cross-border smuggling of firearms poses a threat to the safety and security of Canada. Given the easy availability of firearms in the United States (U.S.), including firearms that are strictly controlled or prohibited in Canada, most firearm seizures happen at the Canada-U.S. land border. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seizes large quantities of firearms every year from U.S. citizens, mostly from non-compliant travellers attempting to retain their personal firearms while travelling. In 2021–2022, CBSA has reported seeing a large upward trend with 678 firearms seized to-date in the first half of the fiscal year compared to total firearms seized in 2018–19 (696), 2019–20 (753) or 2020–21 (548). With the removal of COVID-19 restrictions at the land border, CBSA anticipates that this trend is likely to continue. The total of firearms successfully smuggled into Canada is unknown.

Firearms Tracing, Straw Purchasing and Diversion

Firearms tracing is a key tool in determining the sources of and diversion routes for illegal firearms. Approximately, 21,000 firearms are seized annually by police. In 2021, the Canadian National Firearms Tracing Centre (CNFTC) successfully traced 2,572 of the 3,212 firearms received for tracing of the 2,572, 69% were deemed to be imported legally or manufactured in Canada, while the remainder were smuggled (13%) or without importer documentation (18%). The CNFTC completed 54% more trace requests than 2020 (3,212 vs. 2,094).

Straw purchasing occurs when a legal Canadian firearm license-holder purchases a gun and then illegally resells it on the black market, through a targeted campaign for individuals and retailers. Many legal firearms in Canada are diverted into the illicit market through domestic straw purchasing practices and theft. According to Statistics Canada, between 2010 and 2019, there was an increase of break and enters where a firearm was stolen (from 673 to 1,072 incidents). There may be cases where thefts are related to improper storage and transportation of firearms, but data on this is not available.

Enhancing Canada’s Firearm Control Framework

In Budget 2021, the government announced an investment of $312M over five years, starting in 2021–22, and $41.4M per year ongoing for PS, CBSA, and the RCMP to enhance Canada’s firearm control framework. This funding includes program measures that will:

• strengthen services to support the lawful acquisition, ownership and use of firearms by:
• enhancing the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program services to Canadians and law enforcement, including the modernization of existing information systems to improve online services
• combat illegal firearm-related activities by:
• increasing RCMP capacity to trace firearms and to continue to build a national system that allows for the flagging of straw/bulk purchases of firearms; and
• providing the RCMP and the CBSA with additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking.
• enhancing firearms policy advice and promote awareness of firearm programs by:
• Establishing capacity for the RCMP to support Public Safety’s development of a buyback program for newly-prohibited firearms;
• Increasing PS capacity to support the policy, legislative, regulatory, and program measures to deliver on the Government’s firearms commitments; and
• Continuing to develop and advance the firearms social marketing campaign that will raise awareness and educate Canadians on the need to reduce violent crimes through a variety of initiatives.

Funding breakdown starting 2021-22 over five years (cash basis) is as follows:

* Total numbers have been rounded
**Amounts include funding for costs associated to Employee Benefit Plans, SSC and PSPC.

In Fall 2018, the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV) was announced—an allocation of federal investments of up to $327.6 million over five years to help support a variety of targeted initiatives to combat gun and gang violence. Funding was increased in 2019 to $358.8 million.

Date modified:

2022-08-10