Thank you very much.
My name is Wes Winkel, and I'm the president of the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association. We have a volunteer board of directors, and I represent over 4,100 licensed businesses in Canada, as well as over 40,000 employees. We have a 2018 study that shows that we have an $8.5-billion economic impact to our country's economy, and $2.6 billion of that is involved in sport shooting.
Bill C-21, as currently constructed, gives us the danger of losing another 20%. We lost 20% in the May 1 order in council, and with the handgun freeze and the airgun prohibitions, we could be looking at a total of over 30%. This could lead to over 15,000 jobs lost in Canada. Businesses in Canada have invested millions of dollars to adhere to the strict regulations and the strict regulatory environment already imposed and have done a great job in keeping guns out of the hands of the criminal element. Over 90% of handguns used in crimes are acquired through criminal means and are not sourced legally.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has denounced the handgun transfer freeze and says that it will not have an impact on crime guns in Canada. We believe that to decimate our whole industry is a mistake. It is virtually impossible for our industry to keep up with the speed and volume of regulation changes that have been coming our way, and we've spent countless hours training staff and trying to remain up to date in our regulatory environment.
We request some compromise and some relief inside Bill C-21 and in the current regulations. We've been asking for a change of the “replica firearm” definition, as previously discussed by the air gun industry. We're looking for the committee to consult the air gun industry and to find a way to identify firearms for law enforcement to ensure that they are differentiated from real live firearms and we again recommend the implementation of the 18-year-old guideline for purchase.
We request that they remove the transfer freeze on handguns for individuals. Canada has probably the largest vetted and legal handgun ownership in the world. These sport shooters conduct their sport at ranges safely and provide no risk to the Canadian public. We have many participants who operate in this safe environment, and the businesses ensure that these firearms only reach the hands of those licensed individuals. We're requesting that the government not cease the sale of firearms to these licensed, vetted individuals but rather find an alternative method to restrict ownership and to keep those vetted individuals able to purchase and stay in our sport. There's a possibility of capping licences but ensuring that we can continue to sell and trade current firearms among ourselves.
We also ask that this committee look at respecting all competition shooters with the same exceptions as Olympic target shooters. We have sport shooters at international competitions such as the Single Action Shooting Society, or SASS; the International Practical Shooting Competitions, or IPSC; and the IDPA. These are internationally recognized shooting competitions with trained shooters who have dedicated their lives to their sport. They conduct it in a safe manner and they've always adhered to the government regulations. There is no need to attack this community because certain guns are used in the criminal element.
Furthermore, our businesses are asking that the government remove the downgrade of classification of firearms inside Bill C-21. By definition, the government has declared certain firearms a higher risk to society by labelling them as “restricted” and “prohibited”, and it makes no sense why the government would want us to stop downgrading these firearms. If they've deemed that the public safety is enhanced by changing the firearms from prohibited to restricted, why would we want to limit that? Businesses have spent thousands of dollars training gunsmiths and investing in equipment to produce equipment and ensure that these firearms get downgraded successfully and safely. There is no need, at this point, to restrict that.
Furthermore, there are three more items discussed at the bottom of the regulatory amendments with the intention of implementation by order in council. We request more clarity on these things before they're brought in, and a high level of consultation with the industry, first and foremost on the magazine restriction intentions. To limit all firearms to five rounds or less would create a nearly impossible situation for the industry in conducting its business.