B.C. gov’t announces new legislation to ‘disrupt’ gun violence
Posted April 27, 2026 7:51 am.
Last Updated April 27, 2026 7:55 pm.
New legislation is coming to B.C. this fall, aimed at cracking down on gun crimes.
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says the Firearm Violence Prevention Act (FVPA) will disrupt organized crimes and the use of firearms by filling gaps in the federal firearms laws and modernizing provincial laws.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!Sharma and the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger announced new regulations at a media event Monday morning.
She says the Act will hold criminals to account for offences, including firing from a vehicle, and driving a vehicle that is illegally transporting a firearm.
The province says work is underway to implement more provisions to impound vehicles that drivers use to flee from police.
“By focusing on vehicles, firearms and flight from the police, the FVPA targets organized crime and closes loopholes,” said Sharma.
“It also reinforces an important message: public safety will not be undermined by technicalities or deliberate evasion.”
Though written and passed before the height of the extortion crisis affecting communities south of the Fraser River, Krieger says the new legislation will apply to many crimes that typically occur during extortion-related crimes.
“This is all about closing exactly those loopholes that are exploited by organized crime, and specifically by extortionists, causing harm in our communities,” said the public safety minister.
She says the FVPA was developed after “extensive consultation” with a “wide range” of stakeholders.
“This is about ensuring that criminals who exploit gaps in federal laws and commit harm using firearms in a community are stopped and held to account, while also maintaining a balance of uninterrupted safe access for those who are using firearms legally and safely,” said Krieger.
The Act is set to come into effect on Oct. 1, 2026. The province says the delay will provide time for law-abiding firearm owners and police to prepare for implementation.
