The Canadian government has announced the next phase of its national gun buyback initiative, giving citizens approximately two months to express their interest in participating and receive compensation for surrendering prohibited firearms. The government has prohibited around 2,500 makes and models of what it terms “assault-style” firearms since 2020, contending that these weapons are designed for combat purposes rather than for hunting or sports shooting.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree emphasized the voluntary nature of the compensation program while underscoring the necessity of compliance with the law. The declaration period for participation will commence on Monday and extend until March 31, allowing Canadians to submit their declarations digitally or via traditional paper forms.
Compensation payouts will occur within 45 business days post-validation of the surrendered firearms. The allocated funding for the program amounts to $248.6 million, enabling the government to compensate for roughly 136,000 prohibited firearms from individual owners. Failure to declare participation by the March 31 deadline will render firearm owners ineligible for compensation.
Compensation distribution will be based on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by the submission date of declarations and the availability of program funds at that time. Furthermore, the grace period for possessing banned firearms will conclude on October 30, 2026, after which possession will constitute a criminal offense.
Owners who opt out of the program can deactivate their firearms permanently at their expense, surrender them to local law enforcement without compensation, or export them if holding the requisite permit. The government plans to reopen the buyback program for businesses with prohibited firearms once the national declaration process is underway.
Despite facing resistance from certain gun owners and the Conservative Party of Canada, the buyback initiative proceeds. Provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan have declined to participate in the program due to legislative disagreements, although citizens in these regions can still declare their firearms. Critics have labeled the program as wasteful and divisive, urging the government to pay all affected gun owners with no monetary constraints.
The initiative received support from gun control advocacy groups, who believe the program enhances public safety by removing weapons commonly used in mass shootings and crimes. Earlier pilot projects in Nova Scotia demonstrated a lower-than-expected participation rate, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the buyback program. Minister Anandasangaree affirmed that the government remains steadfast in its commitment to improving public safety by removing assault-style firearms from circulation.