Canada law about lenght

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cybrok

Joined
Aug 7, 2005
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I was talking about the laws in Canada with friends when one said "You can't have a knife larger than your hand"
I told him it wasn't true and that there are no lenght limit in Canada.
Then another guy said "So I could have a Katana with me anytime?"

Honnestly, I don't know what to answer to that question...

I'm sure the answer is totally stupid, but after a hard exam week, I turned my brain off.
 
From packing.org
84. (1) In this Part and subsections 491(1), 515(4.1) and (4.11) and 810(3.1) and (3.11),

"Prohibited Weapon" means

(a) a knife that has a blade that opens automatically by gravity or centrifugal force or by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in or attached to the handle of the knife, or
(b) any weapon, other than a firearm, that is prescribed to be a prohibited weapon;

SOR/98-462

Registration 16 September, 1998

CRIMINAL CODE

Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted

P.C. 1998-1662 16 September, 1998

PART III
PROHIBITED WEAPONS

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 1

1. Any device designed to be used for the purpose of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person by the discharge there from of
(a) tear gas, Mace or other gas, or
(b) any liquid, spray, powder or other substance that is capable of injuring, immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating any person.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 2

2. Any instrument or device commonly known as "nunchaku", being hard non-flexible sticks, clubs, pipes, or rods linked by a length or lengths of rope, cord, wire or chain, and any similar instrument or device.
3. Any instrument or device commonly known as "shuriken", being a hard non-flexible plate having three or more radiating points with one or more sharp edges in the shape of a polygon, trefoil, cross, star, diamond or other geometrical shape, and any similar instrument or device.
4. Any instrument or device commonly known as "manrikigusari" or "kusari", being hexagonal or other geometrically shaped hard weights or hand grips linked by a length or lengths of rope, cord, wire or chain, and any similar instrument or device.
5. Any finger ring that has one or more blades or sharp objects that are capable of being projected from the surface of the ring.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 3

6. Any device that is designed to be capable of injuring, immobilizing or incapacitating a person or an animal by discharging an electrical charge produced by means of the amplification or accumulation of the electrical current generated by a battery, where the device is designed or altered so that the electrical charge may be discharged when the device is of a length of less than 480 mm, and any similar device.
7. A crossbow or similar device that
(a) is designed or altered to be aimed and fired by the action of one hand, whether or not it has been redesigned or subsequently altered to be aimed and fired by the action of both hands; or
(b) has a length not exceeding 500 mm.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 4

8. The device known as the "Constant Companion", being a belt containing a blade capable of being withdrawn from the belt, with the buckle of the belt forming a handle for the blade, and any similar device.
9. Any knife commonly known as a "push-dagger" that is designed in such a fashion that the handle is placed perpendicular to the main cutting edge of the blade and any other similar device other than the aboriginal "ulu" knife.
10. Any device having a length of less than 30 cm and resembling an innocuous object but designed to conceal a knife or blade, including the device commonly known as the "knife-comb", being a comb with the handle of the comb forming a handle for the knife, and any similar device.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 5

11. The device commonly known as a "Spiked Wristband", being a wristband to which a spike or blade is affixed, and any similar device.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 6

12. The device commonly known as "Yaqua Blowgun", being a tube or pipe designed for the purpose of shooting arrows or darts by the breath, and any similar device.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 7

13. The device commonly known as a "Kiyoga Baton" or "Steel Cobra" and any similar device consisting of a manually triggered telescoping spring-loaded steel whip terminated in a heavy calibre striking tip.
14. The device commonly known as a "Morning Star" and any similar device consisting of a ball of metal or other heavy material, studded with spikes and connected to a handle by a length of chain, rope or other flexible material.

Former Prohibited Weapons Order, No. 8

15. The device known as "Brass Knuckles" and any similar device consisting of a band of metal with one or more finger holes designed to fit over the fingers of the hand.
Click to expand...
No length limit stated. No mention of swords, or even machetes. However, I honestly don't know if individual provences or counties (or whatever they're called there) or towns can have their own laws. Even if it is legal, walking around with a katana ( :rolleyes: ) probably isnt' a good idea anyway. Cops tend to be suspicious about such things.
 
There is no legal limit to length of blade that you can have on a knife in Canada, BUT if a police officer feels that what you are carrying is a weapon he can charge you. If you are going to carry a Katana down the street you are going to have to be able to prove that you are going to use that Katana for some utilitarian purpose. Telling the officer that you use it to open boxes isn't going to cut it. If however, you are going to martial arts class, that would probably be considered a valid reason to have a Katana with you.
 
I already saw Planterz' link, those are prohibited weapons, so they are authorized weapons? This is REALLY unclear. I can have a handgun or a 6 inch double-edge knife BUT I CAN'T HAVE A BALI?

This is bullsh*t
 
cybrok said:
I was talking about the laws in Canada with friends when one said "You can't have a knife larger than your hand"
I told him it wasn't true and that there are no lenght limit in Canada.
Then another guy said "So I could have a Katana with me anytime?"

Honnestly, I don't know what to answer to that question...

I'm sure the answer is totally stupid, but after a hard exam week, I turned my brain off.
Click to expand...
the confusion generally, is this;

- there is no length restriction in Canada as long as you are on crown land.
- the length limits you hear about, are limits in citys and towns, - usually a 4" limit on both fixed blades and locking folders;
and this applies to carrying the blades on your person. You can carry the longer stuff in your car, but when in town, leave it in your car!

-we also have a 'magic-show' in Canada,- with knives.
-if a cop asks you what your 'legal' knife is for, and you say,"general purpose knife, peeling spuds, whittling sticks, cutting rope", etc. -he will smile and perhaps tell you to "have a good afternoon".
If, however, you happen to tell him the same knife is for your "self defense", then "POOF"! -the knife becomes a prohibited weapon, just like that! and if the knife was in your pocket, it becomes a prohibited *concealed* weapon.."POOF"! - just like that!
- and if yer just whitttling and peeling, you are a nice peaceful citizen; however,, - if yer saying you be prepared to defend yourself with your knife, - you then become a potential *criminal*, and may quite likely be arrested on the spot, "POOF"! - just like that!
- and the constable will *not* wish ya a "good afternoon".

now, ain't that sumthin' ?? !! -
an all Canadian,, 'magic - show'!!

one of the more incredibly mindless decisions of our lawmakers... god!!!!!!!!!!!! makes me wonder how we made it this far.............
 
Since the law up here seems to be so subjective, what would be considered a good EDC knife that probably wouldn't get confiscated if you ever got stopped by the cops? I don't live in a major city, so I'm not too worried about making people uncomfortable. Right now I'm carrying a Spyderco Police, but I might switch to a Spyderco Native III when it gets to me.
 
I've been searching for weeks about what is legal in my own town.
There is no lengt limit at all, BUT: You need a ''professionnal'' reason to carry a knife, els you're just illegal. I'll just try to confuse the cops by telling them '' If you can't carry a knife, but you can have one at home, why do we even care about prohibited weapons? (switchblades, balis). ''
 
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