Since 2020, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has reported the loss of 205 firearms, including at least five fully automatic weapons such as handguns. This year alone, nearly a dozen firearms have gone missing.
The total breakdown of lost firearms includes 122 handguns, 55 shotguns, 23 rifles, three submachine guns, and two machine guns. It’s important to note that Canadians are generally prohibited from acquiring or using machine guns and submachine guns, which are capable of rapid fire.
The year 2021 saw the highest number of losses, with 99 firearms reported missing, including three fully automatic weapons.
The RCMP’s access to information office stated that it cannot determine if a firearm was lost by a service member. Additionally, it remains unclear whether any of these lost firearms have been recovered, or if there have been any charges or disciplinary actions related to their disappearance.
