Canada issues morbid US travel advice as this year's mass shootings cross 250 mark
The Government of Canada has updated its official travel advice for the United States amid a rising number of mass shootings.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there has been a drastic increase in mass shootings and gun-related fatalities in the United States in recent years. For example, in the first five months of 2023, more than 250 mass shootings have occurred in the US.
At the time of publishing, this number stood at 257.
“The rate of firearm possession in the US is high. It’s legal in many states for US citizens to openly carry firearms in public,” Canada’s travel advisory, last updated on May 26, states.
“Incidences of mass shootings occur, resulting most often in casualties. Although tourists are rarely involved, there is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” it further reads.
US gun violence statistics, 2023 (via Gun Violence Archive)
Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more people are injured or killed in a single location, excluding the perpetrator. The US has had an average of almost two mass shootings per day for the past three years.
This has prompted the Canadian government to issue a revised travel advisory, urging caution for its citizens travelling to their southern neighbour.
Although mass shootings are less frequent in Canada, gun violence remains a threat.
In recent weeks, a group of people was shot at in broad daylight in Metro Vancouver, and a young engaged couple was fatally shot during a landlord-tenant dispute in Hamilton, Ontario.
Canada’s most recent mass shooting occurred in Vaughan, just north of Ontario, in December 2022, when a shooter killed six people in a condo building.
America’s most recent mass shooting happened on Monday when two teenagers and five adults were injured at a house party in Ohio.
The Canadian government recommends all travellers to the US familiarize themselves with tactics to respond in an active shooter situation.
They recommend visitors read the Active Shooter Event Quick Reference Guide by the Department of Homeland Security before entering the country.
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