.22LR Rimfire rifle regulations for Ontario?

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Username86

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I've been hunting for years. Only with shotguns and bows.
I recently purchased a .22LR so I'm not overly familiar with any regulations on where I can hunt with it. (Small game)
I remember taking my courses back in the day that we aren't allowed to use rifles in southern ontario but that's really it. I can't find anything in any regulation or bylaws/ city regulations. The only thing I've seen is no caliber greater then .275. I've had people say that .22s are fine and some say they aren't. I just want to be sure and know where its ok.
Like a general starting point or area.

Does anyone have any info or a site with all the details I'm looking for? Just want to be 100% when the time comes to hunt.

Thanks in advance.
 
In southern Ontario you need to check with the individual municipalities you are interested in hunting in, or plinking in, in order to determine if using a rimfire .22LR rifle is allowed. Each will have its own rules and regs for discharge of firearms. Unfortunately the Ontario hunting regulations publication (as I expect you know), does not specify this level of detail per municipality. Its too bad the province does not maintain an online look-up table of details for discharge rules for firearms per municipality. The lack of available info makes life difficult for hunters and target shooters in southern Ontario. I used to live down there, and can sympathize for how difficult it can be.
 
Nothing's stopping you from making your own public document that explains all rules by area. I did for Nova Scotia and have helped out a lot of new hunters and pal owners to shoot outside, legally for fun.
 
This is an Ontario government link for the list of all the 444 municipalities in Ontario: https://www.ontario.ca/page/list-ontario-municipalities

Each has a hyper link to the municipality's website.

I know from past residency, that discharge of a firearm bylaws often differ within and between lower tier municipalities within the same upper tier.
My recommendation is to start with the lower tier first, when searching for their firearms bylaws.

I tried some sample searches from the hyperlinks in this list. With some lower tiers I was able to find their bylaws section in their website, and find the bylaw PDF for the details. In others I was not able to find the bylaw from the website, which means maybe a phone call to their office or email might find the information.

In some rural municipalities they will be divided in zones, with some zones allowing discharge of a firearm, or type of firearm, and some not.

One lower tier municipal bylaw I sampled (with urban, rural, and crown land within it), I found in its website firearm's bylaw stated a no-discharge 1km distance from a place of business, residence, or municipal facility or structure. Without knowing where all these things are, and without a detailed map, it could be difficult to find a legal spot of ground.

A phone call to the municipality would be a wise thing to do in any case.

Good luck with your search.
 
That's the problem though. I can't find the info I'm looking for.
The easiest thing I should be able to find is about not being allowed to use rifles in southern ontario, which majority of hunters know but there's nothing, just word of mouth. Ive check bylaws for municipalities, regulations and even written MNRF. Thats why Im here hoping someone know of where to find the exact source instead of just what someone has said.
 
Hey Biologist. So I tried that page and just picked a city I know of. Niagara falls. I found 3 by-laws and none of them mention rifle just the distance you have to be from a dwelling.
Shouldnt there be something in it about rifles? I cant see them being used in an area like that. I know theres a few Conservations you can hunt in that area but thats really it I think.
 
Username86 said:
Hey Biologist. So I tried that page and just picked a city I know of. Niagara falls. I found 3 by-laws and none of them mention rifle just the distance you have to be from a dwelling.
Shouldnt there be something in it about rifles? I cant see them being used in an area like that. I know theres a few Conservations you can hunt in that area but thats really it I think.
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw the same vague lack of information (no mention of firearm type or cartridge or caliber) in an example I searched, which was the 1km distance example above. Since they wrote it as 1km, I am guessing that rifles are allowed in that municipality for that distance they chose? The 1km distance is a bit much to restrict shotguns.

However it can be so vague in the wording that I think you need to speak to the bylaw people in the municipality for how they interpret it. I can almost guarantee they have responded to the same questions many times over the years, and so if you called them for a chat I am thinking they would have a distinct and informative response that they have worked out with their legal advisors.

I saw one document in one of the municipalities I sampled that had a mix of urban and rural, that "farmers" and "farms" were listed as OK for firearms discharge (with no mention of type, cartridge or caliber). So there may be wording that is enabling for rimfire .22LR on farm properties in some municipalities. Farms by definition will be zoned as "agricultural". I can see the legal practicality for such wording, because it does not require regulatory maps with lines and zones that have to be continually updated every year as urban sprawl converts agricultural zoned land to residential and industrial zoned lands. Single family dwellings severed off on an agriculturally zoned property will not be "urban", (they are likely "rural residential", and its common for farmers and their families to have severed lots within the larger agricultural zone. Obviously everyone living there knows to not shoot across the yards of houses, or anywhere close to them. Rather, they hunt and target shoot in the "back 40" within the agricultural zoning, and set up backstops and use terrain safely to advantage (hills, berms, etc).

Aside: Whenever I travel to do recreational activities (hunting, fishing, canoe tripping, winter camping, etc), I always make sure to spend money in that local area for food, fill up with gasoline, or buy some touristy stuff if there are stores nearby. Let the store owners/staff know in casually chatting at the checkout that you come from away and were utilizing their landscape outdoor resources.
 
Lived here all my life, and have been hunting and shooting for almost 50 years.

Here in Southern Ontario, the regulations by zone will not always tell you what you may use, but they do tell you what you can not use, such as "shotgun only" deer seasons in most jurisdictions; no buckshot or slugs for water fowl or upland game; maximum caliber for centerfire; check the regs specific for each area and specific by the game being hunted; check also the time of year for other controlled hunts underway.

We all use .22 for plinking and small game hunting like rabbit, squirrel; even fox and ground hog. Certain areas require a special Township or Conservation Authority license to hunt on some parks and preserves.

Have fun!

Yes, the regs can be confusing, but not insurmountable.
 
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