Nope, they are restricted or prohibited if made after 1898.
Well, almost ... the cutoff isn't the
end of 1898 - rather, to qualify as "antique" in Canada an original firearm must have been manufactured
before 1898 ... in other words, can't have been made after 1897.
However, what
mtallman says is otherwise right on the money - another example of the idiotic inconsistencies in Canada's firearms laws. A reproduction flintlock (or matchlock)
long gun is classed as an 'antique' exempt from registration or PAL requirement, although a repro
percussion lock long gun is still subject to all restrictions. But
no post-1897
handgun is exempt - even if it is a flintlock or matchlock - presumably simply because it
is a handgun ... and therefore inherently evil, I guess.

We can all sleep much more soundly at night, knowing that those incredibly dangerous modern-made caplock Kentucky pistols, percussion revolvers and such have been safely controlled by our lawmakers ....
Yet a much more effective and accurate handgun, such as a pre-1898 .450 or .455 Webley or the like,
is an antique. Apparently they are somehow immune to the natural villainy they would otherwise be guilty of as "handguns" (

) merely by virtue of their venerable age, since we obviously don't hear of a rash of murders or other heinous crimes being committed with them ... despite being unregistered and capable of being bought and sold openly without a Licence!