About the New Ontario Shooters Association (NOSA)

Thunder Bay, Ontario

We are a family-friendly Thunder Bay shooting club, for pistol and/or rifle, that up to 2022 does indoor target shooting from September through April, and outdoors from May through October. (See our Range Schedules web page for current details. In 2023 the indoor shooting will become year round.)

At this time NOSA has about two hundred members, who are happy to be helpful to new persons joining whether experienced or just starting in this sport. Ladies thinking of trying target shooting will be comfortable with the assistance provided by our very proficient lady members. NOSA Junior Shooters will receive the benefit of training by some extremely competent instructors (see the Junior Shooters page).

The "New" in our name relates to the once popular term of New Ontario for this portion of the province. Our shooting club started in 1909 as a rifle long range target shooting club, and incorporated several other local clubs over the years as we expanded our interests to other types of rifle and pistol target shooting.

NOSA's Aim

The goals of the New Ontario Shooters Association Inc. (N.O.S.A. or NOSA) shall be to promote and perpetuate small arms shooting and proficiency in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.

NOSA Specific Objectives

To actively introduce recreational shooting as a safe and enjoyable sport to the general public in the Thunder Bay area.

To train individual members to safely and efficiently handle and fire any small arms that they wish to become familiar with.

To become involved when appropriate in shooting programs or events sponsored by Provincial Rifle Associations or the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association.

To work with our affiliated organization, Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen's Alliance (a.k.a. Team NOSA, who adopted their full name and NOSA acronym long after our NOSA already existed).

NOSA Membership

Members of the public who have an interest in taking up this shooting sport are encouraged to contact one of the NOSA Club Executives (see the Club Contacts link at left).

Potential members must be legally eligible to own or operate firearms in Canada.

All NOSA members owning firearms shall have a valid Firearms Licence: namely the appropriate Possession Acquisition Licence or PAL for the classes of firearms held. Every firearm in the restricted or prohibited class must be accompanied by its Firearm Registration Certificate.

New and existing NOSA members wishing to obtain an A.T.T. certificate (Authorization To Transport a restricted or prohibited class of firearm) must receive and pass a mandatory firearms training course taught by an appointed NOSA Club Instructor. New members undergo a three month probationary period. NOSA members must remain in good standing and attend an approved number of shooting sessions annually. Any member of the New Ontario Shooters Association with an A.T.T. based upon membership in our NOSA Club must surrender the A.T.T. on leaving this club; non-renewal of membership will likewise result in A.T.T. cancellation.

NOSA's New Membership Fee Structure For 2023

As of December 31st, 2022 all dues for NOSA Memberships must be paid between January 1 - January 15th in 2023 for the first year only; after which, they will be due December 31st in 2023 and in each year afterwards.

Memberships will no longer be processed for late dues. Only new members will be allowed to join after the due date. All new members will be subject to Fish and Game's new member protocols. The main reason for this change is because we will no longer be renting the Fish and Game Range but will be members of their range also.

The following will be the fee structures for NOSA Memberships in 2023.

NOSA Handgun Club Dues will be $100.00/year individual (or $130.00 Family) PLUS Thunder Bay Fish and Game Membership Fees which include CSSA Insurance. Note that all new members to TBFandG must complete an SOS -- Safety Orientation Session -- which is a TBFandG-conducted safety briefing and tour of their ranges. This allows those members holding both NOSA and TBFandG Memberships to access Fish and Game Ranges seven days per week all year, plus the Nolalu Range seasonally (weekly Thursday through Sunday from May through end October).

NOSA Junior Shooters' Annual Membership will remain at $60.00, unless their parents have a Family Membership with NOSA.

NOSA Nolalu Range Membership Only: $180.00 for 1 year membership to shoot at Nolalu weekly Thursday through Sunday, from May to end of October.

We expect members might have some further questions on the new fees and structure, which will be answered by Bob and Dana at their contact phone numbers (See link to Club Contacts in left column), and then the website will be updated regularly if, and as, clarifications are made to the NOSA protocols regarding these changes.

NOSA Club Lanyard Must Be Worn By Adults To Shoot On Our Nolalu Ranges

No adult member is permitted to shoot on any Nolalu Range, unless they are clearly displaying their current NOSA membership card in the provided card case on the club lanyard, which is to be worn around the neck.

Similarly, adult guests shooting with NOSA on its Nolalu ranges must wear and clearly display the official NOSA club guest lanyard.

Adult persons not wearing the above proper NOSA identification will be removed from the firing area.

TBFandG Club Lanyard Must Be Worn By Adults To Shoot On the TBFandG Ranges

Starting in 2023, the NOSA lanyard and NOSA membership card must also be worn when shooting on NOSA reserved sessions at TBFandG Ranges.

Information on this website may include partial extracts (but not necessarily exact wording) from the Constitution and By-Laws of the New Ontario Shooters Association Incorporated.

The complete current version of the NOSA Constitution and By-Laws may be viewed here.

Thanks to Gerry K., we have some now fascinating historic material about NOSA.

To view some very old and historic materials from our archives, just click on this.

To view the the announcement for our first match in 1985, just click on this.

Warning and Disclaimer. Only the most current printed Shooting Rules and Range Standing Orders and Match Standing Orders as issued by the N.O.S.A. Executive are official and they should be read, understood, and followed. If there is any question as to interpretation of a rule, or safety of a practice, immediately ask a member of the Executive or a Range Safety Officer before placing yourself or anyone or anything else at risk. Any activity involving firearms has inherent dangers. Some contents on this website may include personal opinions and experiences or practices that should not be emulated. Everyone viewing this website, or any other website or book or magazine or pamphlet or media source, is cautioned to seek professional advice first about anything written or implied or inferred. Your safety is your personal responsibility.

Copyright © 2023 New Ontario Shooters Association. This site is copyrighted and no content may be reproduced by any means, including electronic, without written permission except for strictly personal use. Other websites wishing to post a link to this site are welcome to do so.