Additional input puts firearms bylaw on ice
By Bill Rea

The status of King's proposed discharge of firearms bylaw is uncertain in the aftermath of last Wednesday's public meeting.

King staff has been working on a bylaw aimed at respecting the rights of gun owners to shoot responsibly and legally, balanced with protecting people in built-up areas.

About 25 people (mostly men) attended the session in King City, and several of them weren't very pleased with what they were seeing and hearing. The meeting frequently broke down into side discussions, with comments and occasional insults being traded.

"Do you split hairs length-wise or crossways?" one man sarcastically asked another late in the meeting.

Township Clerk Chris Somerville told the meeting there had been another session about a year ago, at which there were a number of "very constructive comments" offered. The first draft of the bylaw, which had been discussed at last year's meeting, identified areas where guns could not be discharged, but several people had complained those restrictions took up too much area. Staff revisited the bylaw and adjusted its provisions so the restrictions would only apply to built-up areas. In the cases of Nobleton and King City, that would be determined by the boundaries of their respective community plans.

The staff report, which was considered by council in May, pointed out the regulations governing the acquisition, licensing and use of firearms is covered by the federal and provincial governments, through such statutes as the Criminal Code, Firearms Act and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. It also stated the definitions used in the proposed bylaw conform with the Criminal Code.

The report also stated the first draft had included mapping that indicated a 250-metre buffer outside the defined areas, but in order to make these buffer zones identifiable to people on the ground, they were extended to the nearest property line. But people at last year's meeting had argued that took up too much land.

In addition, the report stated a property on the north side of the 15th Sideroad, between Bathurst and Dufferin Streets was identified as an area were there was to be no discharge of guns, and that specification remained in the proposed document.

Staff also stated that property owners not wanting hunting on their lands would only have to post "no trespassing" or "no hunting" signs. York Regional Police would be responsible for enforcing that.