Overview
- The declaration window opens Jan. 19 and closes March 31, with submissions accepted online or by mail before owners book spring appointments to surrender firearms to the RCMP, local police or mobile units.
- Compensation is intended for about 136,000 prohibited firearms, with payments issued within 45 business days after validation and allocations determined primarily by submission date and remaining funds.
- The amnesty ends Oct. 30, 2026, after which possession becomes illegal, and nonparticipants may instead permanently deactivate at their own expense, surrender without payment, or export with a permit.
- Manitoba says it will not administer the program, Saskatchewan and Alberta have raised hurdles, Ontario has criticized it, and Quebec supports it, with some police forces agreeing to participate.
- Critics cite a Nova Scotia pilot that retrieved 25 firearms and argue the program is costly and ineffective, though an earlier business phase collected more than 12,000 prohibited firearms.