The airsoft community says the hobby they love is being threatened unfairly by Bill C-21.
The bill will ban the use, sale and importation of hundreds of assault-style weapons, including replica firearms which will affect the sport of airsoft.
Local airsoft enthusiasts have organized a rally this weekend to showcase the sport, which uses replica guns that fire small, round plastic bullets.
Spokesperson Maclane Betteridge fears Bill C-21 will eliminate the sport in Canada.
“There is no lethality when it comes to airsoft replicas. They are, in essence, just toy guns so we do feel that this legislation, the Bill C-21, is going to improperly and unfairly target the sport of airsoft and all of the businesses and economic impacts will follow suit with that.”
Betteridge says airsoft is similar to paintball, but is more of a role-playing, strategic game.
“It’s definitely community based and therapeutic for a lot of veterans including myself. So for me personally this is much more than just potentially losing a sport. This is losing friends. This losing a community. This is losing a pastime and this is losing a potential therapeutic outlet that I have.”
Betteridge tells Quinte News there are an estimated 60,000 plus active airsoft players across Canada along with 250 business that carry airsoft products, about half of which are airsoft specialty stores.
About 70 airsoft players will gather Sunday morning at 10 a.m. at Picton Recreational Zone.
COVID restrictions means that the event is now closed to the public but Betteridge will be livestreaming events from the day through his Facebook page, Better Edge Media.
