Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced legislation Monday to implement a "national freeze" on importing, buying or selling handguns.
The legislation, which would also limit magazine capacities and ban look-alike toy guns, is expected to be enacted this fall.
"It will no longer be possible to buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada," Trudeau said at a news conference Monday. "In other words, we are capping the market for handguns."
The move comes just a week after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
"We need only look south of the border to know that if we do not take action, firmly and rapidly, it gets worse and worse and more difficult to counter," Trudeau said.
The bill would fight gun smuggling and trafficking by increasing criminal penalties, providing more tools for law enforcement to investigate firearms crimes, and strengthening border security measures, according to a press release.
The new law would also ban some toys that look like real guns, such as airsoft rifles.
"They are unregulated, widely available and indistinguishable from conventional regulated firearms," said Justice Minister David Lametti. "Because they look the same as real firearms, police need to treat them as if they are real. This has led to tragic consequences."
Trudeau acknowledged that the vast majority of gun owners are responsible and follow all necessary laws, but he said the level of gun violence in communities has escalated to a point that is unacceptable.
"Other than using firearms for sport shooting and hunting, there is no reason anyone in Canada should need guns in their everyday lives," he said. "We cannot let the guns debate become so polarized that nothing gets done. We cannot let that happen in our country. This is about freedom. People should be free to go to the supermarket, their school or their place of worship without fear."
The number of registered handguns in Canada increased by 71% between 2010 and 2020, reaching approximately 1.1 million, according to the government. Handguns were the most serious weapon present in the majority of firearm-related violent crimes (59%) between 2009 and 2020.
Bill Blair, minister of emergency preparedness, said Canada is very different from the U.S.
"In Canada, gun ownership is a privilege, not a right," he said. "This is a principal that differentiates ourselves from many other countries in the world, notably our colleagues and friends to the south."
Canadians who already own handguns would be allowed to keep them. However, the bill mandates that long-gun magazines be permanently altered to carry no more than five rounds.
The legislation would create "red flag" laws that allow courts to revoke firearms licenses of those involved in acts of domestic violence or criminal harassment, such as stalking. People considered a danger to themselves or others could also be court-ordered to surrender their firearms to police.
Canada already has plans in place to ban 1,500 types of military-style firearms along with a mandatory buyback program later this year.
Bruce Heyman, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, tweeted that "Canada can teach us a lot."
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