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REPORT
CLERK'S DEPARTMENT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Report #: CLD-58-02
File#:Col
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By-law #: c2COCJ.--cz.O';;~
Date: December 2, 2002
Subject:
AMENDMENT TO MUNICIPAL FIREARMS BY.LAW
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report CLD-58-02 be received; and
2. THAT the by-law attached to Report CLD-58-02 to amend By-law 2001-52 be forwarded
to Council for approval.
Submitted by:
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Reviewed by: Franklin Wu,
Chief Administrative Officer
PLB'LC'ct
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 F 905-623-6506
1109
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REPORT NO,: CLD-5S-02
PAGE 2 of 2
BACKGROUND AND COMMENT
The Municipality's Firearms By-law establishes setbacks for the discharge of firearms and
defines firearms that are regulated within the by-law. Recent incidents have brought to light
deficiencies in the by-law which need to be addressed.
Staff have received complaints from members of the public using the municipal trails. Hunters
have been discharging their firearms adjacent to and in one case across one of the municipal
trails. While there are issues of careless use of a firearm which are police matters, there is
also the problem of restricting firearms away from the various trails in the Municipality.
As Council is aware the Waterfront Trail runs east to west near the shore of Lake Ontario. In
some sections however the trail is set significantly north of the shoreline thus placing it outside
the 300 metre setback from the high water mark. In the north, the Oakridge's Trail runs along
unopened road allowances. Given the effective range of hunting rifles, staff are suggesting a
setback from the trails of 300 metres.
Also, staff have received complaints concerning the use of paintball guns near residential and
commercial properties. The guns have a short effective range but the damage to property
from the paintballs exploding on impact can be significant. Staff is therefore recommending
that they be restricted in the same manner as any other firearm. This is most easily
accomplished by amending the definition of firearm in the by-law to include paintball guns.
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THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
BY-LAW2002-
Being a by-law to amend By-]aw 2001-52, being a By-]aw to prohibit and
regulate the discharge of guns or other firearms, air-guns, spring-guns,
cross-hows, long-bows in the Municipality of Clarington
WHEREAS Section 2]0(36) of the Municipa] Act R.S.O. 1990 chapter
M45 provides that for the purposes of public safety By-laws may be
passed by the Council of a local municipality for the purpose of public
safety for prohibiting or regulating the discharge of guns or other firearms
in the municipality;
AND WHEREAS the Corporation of the Municipa]ity of Cia ring ton deems it
advisable to amend By-law 2001-52;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Municipa]ity of
Clarington enacts as follows:
1. Subsection 1 (g) is deleted in its entirety and is replaced with the
following:
l(g) "firearm" includes firearm as defined in section 2 of the Criminal
Code R.S.C. 1985 c. C-46, as amended and includes any air-gun,
spring-gun, crossbow, long bow, compound bow and an air gun
capable of discharging capsules of paint or a similar material.
2. Section I is further amended by adding the following:
(r) "approved walking or hiking trail" means any trail system
approved or authorized by municipal Council.
3. Subsection 2(1) is amended by adding thereto the following:
(e) three hundred metres from any portion of an approved walking or
hiking trail.
By-law read a first and second time this day of
,2002
By-law read a third time and finally passed this day of
,2002
MAYOR
MUNICIPAL CLERK
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