RE: ONTARIO
I am planning to buy a handgun this year and will likely buy at Epps. I have an RPAL but have not as yet renewed my club membership. What I would like to try is this.
Buy the handgun.
Actually go to the CFO's office in Orillia and present my application for a Long term ATT. (I had one a couple of years ago that the CFO did not renew since I did not own a handgun at the time). Ask them to process the application while I wait for it.
I don't know about Ontario ATT's and the CFO. But with regards to buying any Restricted firearm...
You can buy anything you want but your retailer will not be able to initiate the transfer until you have a club membership. They need that info for the CFC,
not the CFO when they do the initial transfer.
So basically you're going to have to join or renew a club first because if there is no firearm registered, then there is no ATT to apply for. For your second or third, you don't need another ATT for your club since it covers "All Restricted firearms registered" to your name, which I believe is the same on Ontario as is Quebec.
Ontario should be the same as Quebec where they will send your temporary ATT (to take your gun home and only to your home) directly to the CFC in Miramachi NB. It's the CFC not the CFO who sends it along with your Transfer Notification paper which is the temporary registration number.
Ontario should also give you at least a week or two to pick it up, like Quebec does. Here I think it's valid for 30 days.
You then need your permanent registration (again sent by the CFC) to get your regular ATT for the club.
Sometimes with a second and subsiquent guns we have a few days delay from the gun arriving by post or picking up until we get our permanent registrations. Only then can actually take it to the club. But at least we don't have to apply for another ATT until it's time to renew.
You in Ontario also don't have to apply for a new ATT if you join two or more clubs which you are lucky.
Also, Epps holds guns for 60 or 90 days so make sure you're set to pay your dues before that time period is up. Maybe they will hold it longer but you're going to have to discuss that with them. They are nice people there but they are also a business so...