OTTAWA — Canadians will soon learn the specifics of the federal government’s long-promised gun buyback program, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Anandasangaree confirmed that details on the next steps, timelines, and mechanics of the program will be released “over the next few weeks.”
The announcement comes as the Oct. 30 deadline approaches for the amnesty period that allows owners to legally possess more than 1,500 models of prohibited firearms — often referred to as “assault-style weapons” — banned by the Trudeau government in 2020.
Police Participation
While the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has said it will not directly participate in the buyback program, Anandasangaree expressed confidence that collection points will still be available across Ontario.
“They represent 26 per cent of the overall policing in Ontario,” the minister said. “This doesn’t mean that we can’t continue with the gun buyback program.”
He added that other police services have signed on, but did not provide specifics.
The Liberal government initially announced the ban in May 2020, promising compensation for gun owners through a buyback program and granting a two-year amnesty under the Criminal Code. The amnesty was later extended as the program’s details were finalized.
During this spring’s federal election campaign, the Liberals renewed their commitment to launching a “fair and efficient” buyback program to remove prohibited firearms from circulation.
“This is very much something that we committed to and we will follow through on,” Anandasangaree said.
The federal government is expected to outline how the collection process will work, compensation rates for prohibited firearms, and which organizations or agencies will handle the logistics of the program.
Gun-control advocates say the program is essential to public safety, while critics — including some provincial police leaders — have raised concerns about costs, administration, and the impact on lawful gun owners.