The federal government says it is creating a dedicated chief firearms officer for northern Canada, overseeing gun regulation, training and outreach.
A permanent chief firearms officer for the territories is being hired, Ottawa stated in a Thursday news release. Until then, the position will be filled by a Yukon-based interim appointee.
The Yukon government has long requested the creation of such a position.
In a statement in response, Yukon justice minister Laura Lang said the federal announcement would “at long last” improve and expand delivery of programs and services for northern gun owners.
Chief firearms officers administer the federal Firearms Act and related regulations in their jurisdictions. They oversee the delivery of safety courses and approve licence applications and other authorizations.
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The NWT was previously served by an Edmonton-based office.
The new role will come with supporting firearms officers in each territory, the federal government stated, and is being created following a 2024 review of services in the North.
“We have heard from our territorial partners and northern firearm owners on the critical need for a northern chief firearms officer to better respond to the needs of northern communities regarding geography, governance and cultural sensitivity,” public safety minister Gary Anandasangaree was quoted as saying.
The federal government had been promising this change for some time.
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In April this year, NWT Senator Dawn Anderson pointed out to Anandasangaree that Ottawa committed to this in 2023 and then pledged to do it by January 2026.
At the time, Anandasangaree said he had no information regarding the status of the project.
The NWT government did not immediately comment following Thursday’s announcement. Lang said she hoped Yukon gun owners will see “tangible benefits from a consistent CFO presence, compared to the previous intermittent service from a CFO located outside the Yukon.”
