OTTAWA — Ottawa’s long-planned compensation program for banned assault-style firearms is now moving into a national rollout, with gun owners given until March 31 to declare their interest in being paid for turning in — or permanently deactivating — prohibited weapons, a deadline that is colliding with fresh resistance from some provinces and ongoing questions about who will carry out collections.
The federal government says the declaration period for individuals opens on Jan. 19 and runs through March 31, with licence holders to be notified about how to take part. Those who submit declarations and are approved will later be invited to finalize claims and book appointments to surrender firearms to the RCMP, local police, or a mobile collection unit.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has framed the program as a public-safety measure aimed at removing firearms “designed for war” from communities, while also promising compensation for owners. In Montreal, where the launch was announced, Anandasangaree urged owners not to miss the deadlines.
How the compensation program works
Under the federal plan, owners of prohibited firearms can declare participation online or by mail. Ottawa says compensation will be processed primarily on a first-come, first-served basis, aligned with the availability of funds. Federal officials have said nearly $250 million has been earmarked to compensate participants, with the federal government anticipating that amount will cover about 136,000 firearms.
Gun owners who do not participate in the compensation program still have to comply with the law. Ottawa says prohibited firearms and devices must be disposed of or permanently deactivated by the end of the amnesty period on Oct. 30, 2026. Officials say anyone who still has a banned firearm or device after the amnesty period could face criminal prosecution and the loss of their firearms licence.
For owners who opt out of compensation, the federal government says compliance options include permanently deactivating firearms at their own expense, turning them in to police without compensation, or exporting them if they hold the necessary permits.
- Declaration window: Jan. 19 to March 31, 2026
- Collections: Appointments to surrender firearms expected to follow after approvals, with collections to be handled by the RCMP, local police, or mobile units
- Amnesty end date: Oct. 30, 2026
- Funding cited by officials: Nearly $250 million earmarked for individual compensation; more than $742 million budgeted for overall program costs dating back to 2020
The compensation rollout builds on an earlier phase focused on businesses. Ottawa has said more than 12,000 firearms were collected from businesses during an initial phase, with about $22 million in compensation paid out.
Why some provinces and police are pushing back
A central challenge for Ottawa remains implementation across the country — particularly the question of which agencies will collect firearms and how quickly collections can be scaled up. Some provinces have signalled they do not intend to administer the program, raising the prospect that the federal government will rely more heavily on the RCMP footprint, local police participation where it exists, and mobile collection units.
In Saskatchewan, the provincial government has criticized the buyback’s design and the risk that residents may not receive fair compensation. The province has moved to amend its own firearms legislation, arguing it wants Ottawa to be responsible for appropriate compensation and to avoid leaving owners stuck between federal deadlines and provincial legal constraints.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has also publicly questioned why the province would take on what he described as a significant operational burden, suggesting the federal program does not appear efficient or well run.
Anandasangaree has acknowledged hurdles in Alberta and Saskatchewan, saying “legal impediments” have been placed on implementing the program in those provinces and that Ottawa is looking for compromises so owners can still deactivate firearms or submit them for compensation.
Police groups and law-enforcement voices have raised parallel concerns — not necessarily about the deadlines, but about priorities and capacity. In a separate controversy last fall, an audio recording circulated by a firearms-rights group captured Anandasangaree suggesting municipal police services have limited resources to devote to enforcing the buyback. After the recording surfaced, the minister said his comments were misguided and reiterated his intention to deliver on the government’s gun-safety commitments.
Some police associations have argued the program will do little to reduce gun crime while drawing attention and resources away from smuggling and illegal firearms trafficking — a criticism echoed by gun-rights advocates and opposition politicians who say the program targets licensed owners rather than criminals.
Background
The compensation program stems from the federal government’s May 2020 ban on what it described as assault-style firearms — a list that officials say now totals more than 2,500 makes and models. The government has argued these firearms were designed for military purposes and should not be used in civilian settings.
The current rollout was announced in Montreal alongside Nathalie Provost, a Liberal MP and secretary of state for nature who survived the 1989 École Polytechnique shooting, and Québec Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière. Provost has described the program as a step to enforce the law and remove assault-style weapons from Canadian streets.
Gun-control advocates have welcomed the national launch, calling it a public-safety win, while also warning the buyback’s impact depends on how quickly the federal government can implement it and prevent workarounds. Among the issues they have highlighted is the SKS rifle, which is not among the prohibited firearms; advocates have urged Ottawa to prevent new sales while officials review the firearm’s classification.
The SKS is widely used for hunting in some Indigenous communities, particularly for food. At the same time, advocates have pointed to the rifle’s presence in high-profile shootings and killings of police officers as part of their call for tighter rules.
Critics have pointed to the program’s costs and early operational results. A pilot project in Cape Breton collected 25 firearms against an expected target of 200, a shortfall that opponents cite as evidence the program is unlikely to meet its goals.
What happens next
The next two months are expected to focus on declarations from owners and approvals of claims. Ottawa says gun owners should submit declarations as early as possible because compensation will be processed largely on a first-come, first-served basis.
In the spring, owners whose declarations are approved are expected to be invited to finalize claims and book appointments for collection. Ottawa says collections can be handled through the RCMP, local police services, or mobile collection units, depending on the jurisdiction.
For those who do not participate, the federal timeline remains fixed: prohibited firearms and devices must be disposed of or permanently deactivated before the amnesty ends on Oct. 30, 2026. Federal officials say that after that date, continuing to possess a banned firearm or device would put an owner offside the law and potentially facing prosecution.
Ottawa has also said it plans to reopen the business compensation stream in early 2026 to include firearms prohibited in more recent rounds of bans, while continuing to accept those prohibited in May 2020.
For Canadians, the next phase will test whether the program can be delivered consistently across provinces that are signalling reluctance — and whether the government can meet its safety goals while maintaining trust in a system that affects licensed owners, police capacity, and the broader debate over how best to reduce gun violence in Canada.
