Canadian Laws

[harrybobble]

Hi,
I was sure I saw a thread on this already if anyone could direct me. Other than that does anyone know what the law is in Canada with knifes in particular British Columbia. I have researched a little and come to dead ends on the websites. I was looking to buy either a Cold steel Trail Master In San Mai III or Cold Steel Black Bear Classic.

Thanks for any help

 

[Chipperman]

Doing a quick Google search came up with these:

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/canada.html

There are no federal laws about about the lengths of knives allowed. As far as I know, no provinces have specific legislation about knife lengths either. However there are many informal "blade length rules" in Canada. These vary from 3" to 4" for folders in various areas around the country depending on what differentiates a pocket knife from a fighting knife to the local constabulary.

http://www.packing.org/oldtalk/thread/?thread=36145

Here is a link re knife laws in Canada. Weapons are illegal in canada but not tools A regular pocket clip folder, like a spyderco, benchmade, etc, is not an really an issue. Big cities like Toronto or Vancouver will give the most hassles re: knives. I have been carring a spydie Delica for several years and it has never been an issue at trafic stops, customs and even a nuclear power plant (there in house rule is under 6"). As long as it dosen't look like a 'weapon' it will probably not be treated as such. If anyone (read police) call it a weapon, politly tell them it is not, that it is a tool. If you call it a weapon you will be charged with a weapons offence. Ah... the joys of socialism

I cannot comment on the veracity of these links, but if what they say is accurate, you need to open carry (not conceal) a "tool" not a "weapon".

 

[Erich]

For what it's worth, I looked into this when I went up to Canada last month to visit my Dad's vacation house on the Ontario shore of Superior. I'm a lawyer so I looked at their statutes and I looked at several cases interpreting those laws. What chipperman posted is pretty much what I found. (I'm certainly no expert on Canadian law so don't base any legal decisions on this post, but it's interesting that my research turned up more or less the same thing.)

When I was wandering around N of Sault Ste. Marie, no one looked at my Spyderco Ayoob at all. Most folks up living in the woods carried either pocket folders or belt knives.

 

[Kevin the grey]

Gentleman I would like to stand corrected . It was always professed to me by word of mouth and even television news stations that you couldn,t carry a knife in public unless you had an immediate use for it . Any length it didn,t matter . I have since spoken with a police friend of mine who just happens to make knives . He says there is absolutely no law prohibiting you from carrying a knife in a reasonable fashion . The laws there are to make it a crime to use a knife to commit a crime .

It is still word of mouth to me . At least it is a reputable source . Of course I thought that of news stations as well .

 

[Erich]

The cases that I read put a great deal of time into examining whether the knife was actually used as a tool.