Shooting sport Shooting sports is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms (firearms and airguns, in forms such ...

s in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

are practised across the country at recreational and competitive levels, including internationally and at

the Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a vari ...

. Each province has its own organizations that govern the various disciplines. Many of the disciplines are connected nationally and some are part of larger international organizations.

History of shooting sports in Canada

National shooting organizations

The

Canadian Shooting Sports Association Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

and the

National Firearms Association The National Firearms Association (NFA; french: Association Nationale des Armes à Feu) is a Canadian non-profit association based in Edmonton. Its main goals are the repeal and replacement of the Firearms Act (Bill C-68), which was introduced i ...

are Canada's main firearm advocacy associations. They work at the national level to promote and protect the shooting sports. These organizations were created in reaction to increasing laws and regulations governing ownership and use of firearms in Canadian society. They are independent of one another, but share the common goals of promoting firearm culture, education, and safety.

Canadian Shooting Sports Association

The Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) was formed by the merger of the Ontario Handgun Association (OHA) and the Ontario Smallbore Federation (OSF). The CSSA is a national organization with representation and membership in every province and claims over 30,000 members. The CSSA supports, promotes, and sponsors all shooting sports and is politically active at the provincial and federal levels of government.

National Firearms Association

The National Firearms Association (NFA) is a non-profit dedicated to the promotion of

marksmanship A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting using projectile weapons (in modern days most commonly an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle or a sniper rifle) to shoot at high-value targets at longer-th ...

and

firearm safety Gun safety is the study and practice of using, transporting, storing and disposing of firearms and ammunition, including the training of gun users, the design of weapons, and formal and informal regulation of gun production, distribution, and u ...

and the protection of rights related to hunting, self-defence, and property rights. They operate at the national level to ensure shooting sports and related activities. The NFA also provides legal information and assistance concerning firearm and property rights legislation. They publish the ''Canadian Firearms Journal''.

Dominion of Canada Rifle Association

The Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (DCRA) is the national governing body for fullbore target shooting. The Association promotes and supports the pursuit of excellence in military and civilian marksmanship as a positive and significant contribution to Canada, to shooting sports and the safe handling of firearms. DCRA is affiliated to the

International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations The International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations (ICFRA) is the international association for the fullbore rifle shooting sports of Target Rifle ('TR') (in the US 'Palma' Rifle) and F-Class, which are long range competitions shot a ...

and sends teams to World Championships every four years. As of 2022, DCRA teams had won the Palma Trophy four times for Canada - in 1901; 1967; 1972 and 1982.

Shooting Federation of Canada

The

Shooting Federation of Canada Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles ca ...

(SFC) (french: Federation de Tir Canada; (FTC)) is the national sport organization for target shooting sports in Canada. The SFC is responsible for the promotion, development and governing of organized, recreational and competitive target shooting in Canada. It is part of the

Canadian Olympic Committee The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; french: Comité olympique canadien) is a private, non-profit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization ( ...

and represents Canada within the

International Shooting Sport Federation The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) is the governing body of the Olympic shooting events in rifle, pistol and shotgun ( clay target) disciplines, and of several non-Olympic shooting sport events. ISSF's activities include regulati ...

. The SFC began in 1932 as the Canadian Small Bore Rifle Association. After the Second World War, the CSBA changed its name to the Canadian Civilian Association of Marksmen. It used this name until December 2, 1964. Since then it has been known as The Shooting Federation of Canada. The SFC issues multiple awards every year to Canadian athletes that distinguish themselves in their shooting sport. The SFC similarly hosts the annual National Championships for the disciplines falling under pistol, rifle, skeet and trap shooting.

Canadian University Shooting Federation

The Canadian University Shooting Federation (CUSF) is a national non-profit organization established in January 2018, which promotes amateur sport shooting for post-secondary students in Canada. Programs include Smallbore Rifle, Trap and Skeet. To administer these leagues the CUSF works with sporting organizations such as the SFC, NSSA, and ATA, among others. In 2020 there was 19 affiliated clubs at schools across Canada. The organization is apolitical, open to all, and promotes safe and responsible firearms use. The Canadian University Shooting Federation has an active application for Registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Association (RCAAA) charitable status.

International Practical Shooting Confederation Canada

The International Practical Shooting Confederation Canada (IPSC Canada) is the Canadian affiliate of the

International Practical Shooting Confederation The International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) is the world's largest shooting sport association, and the largest and oldest within practical shooting. Founded in 1976, the IPSC nowadays affiliates over 100 regions from Africa, America ...

References

External links

Alberta Provincial Rifle Association
{{Portal, Sports, Canada