Good Guys With Guns? The Relationship Between Legal Firearm Ownership and Firearm Deaths and Crime in Canada

Derek Mikola and Matthew D. Webb

Papers from arXiv.org

Abstract: Civilian firearm ownership is politically contentious, yet most evidence linking guns to crime and death comes from the U.S. Canada offers a unique case: strict national regulations alongside widespread legal ownership. Using new administrative data from 2013-2019, we examine associations between gun prevalence and homicides, suicides, and firearms-related crime. During this period, we find that handgun ownership rose 50\% and restricted licenses by 70\%. Recent legislation proposes a handgun freeze and rifle buyback. We assess whether these measures are likely to improve safety or whether existing laws already strike a balance. We find little evidence of a strong relationship.

Date: 2026-07
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