Edmonton banning knife sales in convenience stores

Knives displayed at Joy’s Lucky 7 Food Store on April 9, 2024. (Sean Amato / CTV News Edmonton)

The city said a new bylaw aimed at convenience stores will make the city safer.

On Tuesday, the City of Edmonton announced it had passed a new bylaw limiting the kinds of knives that can be sold at those stores.

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“Convenient and quick access to knives makes our community less safe,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. “Building a city that’s safer for everyone is our top priority, and by removing these easily accessible potential weapons from convenience stores, all Edmontonians will feel more safe.”

The city said the law will improve public safety and responds to ongoing concerns from business and residents.

“Incidents involving edged weapons, in particular knives, continue to be an ongoing issue in Edmonton,” said Edmonton Police Service Supt. Keith Johnson.

“We’re pleased with the city’s decision to proceed with this bylaw and are hopeful it will have positive impacts on community safety citywide.”

The city said the new rules will come into effect immediately for convenience stores applying for or renewing a business licence, while existing stores are being asked to voluntarily remove knives from their shelves.

Bylaw 21012 will not apply to retailers like sporting goods stores and kitchen suppliers and it won’t limit the sale of everyday cutlery.

The city said the new bylaw will take at least two years to fully implement.