The B.C. government is cracking down on gun violence linked to organized crime.
New regulations, coming into effect on Oct. 1, will bring the Firearm Violence Prevention Act into force. It’s the first of its kind in Canada, according to the government.
The goal is to disrupt organized crime activity, officials stated on Monday, by providing additional tools for police that will fill existing gaps in federal law related to the misuse of firearms.
It will help crack down on criminal activities tied to extortion by giving police new regulations to hold criminals accountable, the province said.
These include discharging firearms from a vehicle, operating a vehicle that is illegally transporting a firearm (a firearm is being illegally transported if no one in the vehicle has the federal licences and authorizations to possess the firearm or if the firearm is not being transported in accordance to federal law), using or storing firearms in an unsafe manner, causing a public disturbance with low-velocity firearms or imitation firearms, possessing firearms or immitation firearms if subject to federal prohibition, and possessing a firearm or imitation firearm in or on designated property.
“Gun-related violence has a profound effect on communities, and it continues to be a serious threat to public safety in British Columbia,” Nina Krieger, minister of public safety and solicitor general, said in a release.
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“By closing the gaps in gun laws, we are providing police with new ways to go after gangs and criminals, and keep people and businesses in all our communities safe.”
Attorney General Niki Sharma added that, “For parents, there is nothing more important than protecting our children, especially from gun-related violence.”
“I am proud that our government is taking these actions to help prevent criminals from trying to draw our young people into organized crime.”
The act and regulations include prohibiting people from selling low-velocity and imitation firearms to youth under 18 years of age, such as BB, pellet and airsoft guns; lighters designed to look like firearms; and other objects that could reasonably be mistaken to be firearms, the B.C. government stated in a release.
In addition, the act prohibits firearms, low-velocity firearms and imitation firearms from places of worship, courts, child-care facilities, hospitals, K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions.
While firearms are generally prohibited in those locations, the government says this act will help make it clear for everyone and easier for police to enforce.
The six-month timeframe before the act comes into force will allow for the government, police, affected stakeholder groups and law-abiding firearm owners time to prepare for implementation, the release stated.
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