Canada logs over 67,000 firearm declarations as buyback deadline closes

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said 37,869 firearm owners participated in the declaration phase of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP), which is part of a broader federal push to curb gun violence.

With the deadline now passed, most firearm owners can no longer apply for compensation, though officials said exceptions will be made for those who had already opened cases before the cutoff, as well as for Canadian Armed Forces members and law enforcement personnel deployed abroad.

Authorities will begin assessing submissions in April, with the collection and compensation phase expected to run from spring through early fall. Firearms will be collected by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, local police or mobile collection units, officials said.

While participation in the compensation programme is voluntary, compliance with the law is mandatory.

Owners who failed to declare prohibited firearms must deactivate or dispose of them before an amnesty period expires on October 30 or risk criminal penalties and the loss of their firearms licence.

The buyback initiative stems from Canada’s 2020 ban on certain semi-automatic firearms, introduced following high-profile mass shootings, and has been a central pillar of the government’s gun control policy, as reported by Reuters.

Critics, including some firearm owners and advocacy groups, have raised concerns over the programme’s cost and implementation, while supporters argue it is necessary to enhance public safety and reduce the availability of high-risk weapons.

Anandasangaree thanked participants who complied with the programme, saying such firearms “do not belong in our communities".