Canada’s Firearms License Holders Hit Record High, With GTA Applications Up Nearly 50%
Canada now has nearly 2.5 million firearms license holders, with the latest RCMP data showing 2,473,661 valid license holders at the end of 2025. The figure comes as new applications in the Greater Toronto Area have also been climbing, with Maclean’s reporting that applications for Possession and Acquisition Licenses, or PALs, increased by nearly 50 per cent between 2016 and 2025.
Canada’s firearms license count reaches a new high
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada had 2,473,661 firearms license holders as of December 31, 2025. That included 2,458,677 valid Possession and Acquisition Licenses and 14,984 Minor’s Licenses.
The number has steadily increased over the past five years:
- 2021: 2,245,842 licence holders
- 2022: 2,272,760
- 2023: 2,364,726
- 2024: 2,425,627
- 2025: 2,473,661
That makes 2025 the highest total recorded in the RCMP’s five-year comparison.
It is important to put the number in context. The figure represents people with valid firearms licenses, not the number of firearms owned by Canadians.
Ontario accounts for more than 700,000 license holders
Ontario had 711,267 firearms license holders at the end of 2025, including 705,303 PAL holders and 5,964 Minor’s License holders. That was the largest provincial total in the country.
The RCMP also reported 1,253,010 registered firearms across Canada. However, this number does not represent every firearm in the country because only restricted and prohibited firearms are required to be registered.
For Toronto and the wider GTA, the national figures are particularly relevant because separate reporting suggests applications have been increasing in the region.
GTA firearms license applications have climbed
A recent Maclean’s report found that the number of PAL applicants in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area increased by nearly 50 per cent between 2016 and 2025. In some parts of the GTHA, including Peel, applications reportedly more than doubled.
The increase does not necessarily mean the same percentage increase in the number of firearms owned in the GTA. Applications, licenses and firearm ownership are different measures.
The reasons behind the rise can also vary. Interest in hunting and sport shooting, participation in shooting clubs, family involvement and changing attitudes toward firearms may all play a role. However, individual motivations cannot be determined from licensing figures alone.
For Toronto residents, the distinction matters. A rise in license applications is a measure of people entering or participating in Canada’s regulated firearms licensing system. It is not, by itself, a measure of gun crime or public safety.
What a PAL actually means
A Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) is the license used by adults to legally acquire and possess firearms in Canada. Applicants must meet the requirements of Canada’s firearms licensing system, including the applicable safety training and eligibility screening.
The RCMP says the Canadian Firearms Program is responsible for administering firearms licensing and registration while supporting compliance with Canada’s firearms laws. Licence applicants are screened to determine whether they are eligible to hold a firearms licence.
The system also includes ongoing eligibility measures. In 2025, the RCMP reported 1,353 firearms license applications refused and 5,263 licenses revoked.
License growth should not be confused with gun crime
One of the biggest takeaways from the latest numbers is that firearms licensing statistics and firearm-related crime statistics measure different things.
The RCMP’s firearms program tracks licenses, registrations, applications, refusals and other regulatory information. Police and Statistics Canada data, meanwhile, are used to examine firearm-related offences and violent crime.
That means the increase in firearms license holders in Canada should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that firearm-related crime is increasing or decreasing.
The same applies to Toronto. A larger pool of licensed individuals does not tell us how many firearms are being used in criminal activity, nor does it establish why an individual obtained a licence.
Canada’s firearms rules continue to evolve
The rise in license holders comes during a period of significant changes to Canada’s firearms regulations.
The RCMP’s 2025 report notes that new firearms prohibition measures were announced in March 2025, while amendments affecting firearms licence eligibility and revocation also came into effect during the year.
The report also notes that, as of December 31, 2025, 549,832 individuals were prohibited from possessing firearms in Canada.
For anyone considering applying for a licence, renewing one or simply trying to understand the rules, it is worth checking the official requirements rather than relying on older information circulating online.
Where to find the latest firearms information
The RCMP Canadian Firearms Program provides current information about licensing, application forms, safety requirements and firearms regulations.
The full 2025 Commissioner of Firearms Report also provides the national and provincial breakdowns behind the latest figures.
For additional reporting on the GTA increase, read Maclean’s coverage of Canada’s rising firearms licence applications.
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Canada’s firearms licensing system reached a record-high total in 2025, with Ontario accounting for more than 700,000 licence holders. At the same time, applications across the GTA have risen substantially over the past decade. The numbers offer a snapshot of Canada’s changing firearms landscape, but they should be considered separately from firearm-related crime statistics.
What do you think about the latest numbers? Share your thoughts in the comments or follow Over Here Toronto for more Toronto and GTA news.
