US EditionLiberals eye next steps in firearm buyback as window for individual owners closes
Officials will now assess declarations after the program drew 67,000 firearms, far below the 136,000 budgeted for compensation, the government said.
- On Tuesday, the federal gun buyback compensation deadline passed, with Public Safety Canada reporting 32,406 participants and roughly 57,440 firearms declared—far below the 136,000 weapons the government budgeted to compensate using $248.6 million.
- Provincial governments led by Danielle Smith and Scott Moe refuse to participate, meaning thousands of applicants in Alberta and Saskatchewan will not receive compensation; Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree called this "regrettable."
- Blaming "disinformation" from the Conservative Party for confusing owners, Nathalie Provost, Liberal Secretary of State for Nature, cited online posts inflating banned rifle types; others like David Hicks reported significant technical registration struggles.
- The federal government maintains that compliance with the law is mandatory; firearms owners must permanently deactivate or dispose of prohibited weapons by October 30, even as the Supreme Court considers a legal challenge.
- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the policy as ineffective against crime, while advocacy group PolySeSouvient labeled the low turnout "disappointing"; the government is expected to soon reopen the program to businesses.
35 Articles
35 Articles
67,000 Firearms Declared for Feds’ Buyback as Time Window Closes
The federal government says gun owners have declared more than 67,000 recently designated prohibited firearms to receive compensation. Gun owners had until March 31 to fill a declaration as part of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program, which is opposed by some provinces including Alberta and Saskatchewan. Public Safety Canada says 37,869 firearms owners across Canada have participated in the program. The program has fallen short of it…
Liberals planned to buy back 136,000 banned guns. Fewer than half that many were declared
The federal public safety minister's office says more than 67,000 assault-style firearms have been declared, far short of the 136,000 the government had budgeted for. The uptake combined with hurdles for the next stage are raising questions about whether the program will accomplish the government's goal of abolishing assault-style firearms in Canada.
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