Canada’s border agency has amassed a stockpile of more than 12,600 firearms and over 10 million rounds of ammunition, according to a recent internal audit that found no safety violations in its handling of weapons.Blacklock's Reporter says the Canada Border Services Agency currently employs about 6,500 armed officers stationed at border crossings, airports, and inland offices. The agency’s audit confirmed that all firearms and ammunition are stored in accordance with federal regulations, and officers are regularly re-certified in firearms use..“The Agency’s controls over firearms and ammunition were effective and, for the most part, operating as intended to provide appropriate safeguards,” auditors wrote in the Audit Of Duty Firearms. The agency uses about 3 million rounds of ammunition annually, mainly for training.CBSA officers were first authorized to carry guns in 2006 at land crossings. In 2022, Transport Canada gave officers permission to carry weapons through airports without needing temporary permits. That change came amid increasing concern about organized crime and drug trafficking at major Canadian airports..“Canada has one of the safest and most secure aviation systems in the world,” noted a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, but added that “border services officers face inherent risks” in their roles. The statement acknowledged that large drug seizures and criminal activity have been documented at international airports.CBSA officers have the same legal authority to use force as armed police when detaining or arresting individuals or defending themselves. However, firearms are rarely drawn. An earlier evaluation found just 146 incidents between 2012 and 2018 where CBSA officers unholstered their weapons, and only eight shots were fired — most of them to deal with aggressive animals.
