ST. CATHARINES, ON — When comparing gun laws in Canada and the United States, a key difference is that Canada handles gun laws on the federal level, while the U.S. handles them on a state-by-state basis. Part of Canada’s federal process for obtaining a firearm license is taking a safety course.

“It’s important that, in this classroom, you experience what you’re going to experience in the real world, so it looks and feels the same, said Doug Oettinger, an instructor for the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario.

What You Need To Know

  • Canada's gun laws are federal, whereas gun laws in the U.S. vary state to state

  • Federal Canadian law requires people who apply for a gun license to take a safety course

  • The safety course is a minimum of eight hours and goes over how a gun works, how to safely handle a gun, and how to safely transport a gun

  • Students take two exams at the end and must get at least 80% on each

Oettinger has been an instructor since 2019 and said class is at least eight hours, as mandated by federal law. He said the course involves learning about how guns work, how to handle them safely and how to transport them safely. At the end of the course, students take two exams and have to score at least 80% on each in order to pass. Oettinger said he does not take the responsibility of passing people lightly.

 “When this class is over, I’m going to sign a piece of paper that says either you’re safe or you’re not,” Oettinger said. “And the assessment of whether you’re safe or not comes from the exams you’re going to write. And if you’re not safe, there’s not a chance I’m going to sign it because I have to live with the consequences of that for the rest of my life.”

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner of Firearms Report, from 2016 to 2020, 1,112 applicants were denied firearms licenses. Of those, 367 were refused a license because they were considered a potential risk to others.