The Canadian government is moving to ban the importation of restricted weapons, effective August 19. Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced on Friday that the federal government has decided to proceed with the import ban without Parliament’s approval, moving to change the policy through regulatory restrictions. The measure will prevent individuals and businesses from importing handguns into Canada, the government says. The government says the upcoming regulations will essentially speed up aspects of the planned freeze. However, the move is temporary, with plans to remain in place only until a previously promised permanent import ban is approved in Ottawa. “This ban is a stopgap while the freeze weapon as a whole moves through the parliamentary process, preventing shelves from being stocked in the immediate term,” Jolie said. In late May, the Liberals tabled Bill C-21, legislation that if passed would further restrict legal access to guns in Canada. The bill includes a specific section that falls short of an outright ban, opting instead for a national “freeze” on the sale, purchase or transfer of guns in Canada that allows current legal owners to keep theirs. Bill C-21 also seeks to create systems to flag people who may be a danger to themselves or others and to increase the maximum penalties for firearm-related offences, such as smuggling and dealing in firearms. The incoming regulations announced Friday will include “minor exceptions that mirror those in Bill C-21,” the government said. Jolly said the Liberals decided to do this because when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Bill C-21, there was a “surge” in guns being bought in Canada. “We want to prevent this. That is why we are announcing this import ban… We know that the vast majority of weapons in the country are imported, as there is no arms producer in the country,” Jolly said. The move is likely to receive mixed reactions from gun control and gun rights groups, but according to the government, law enforcement agencies seized more than twice as many firearms at the border in 2021 compared to 2020. There were about 1.1 million registered handguns in Canada as of 2020, according to federal data. More to come… With files from CTV News’ Michael Lee