Overview
- Canadians can declare interest starting Monday through March 31 via an online portal or by paper to qualify for compensation.
- The pool for individual compensation is $248.6 million, which the government says could cover about 136,000 prohibited firearms.
- Compensation will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with payments issued within 45 business days after validation.
- The amnesty for possessing banned firearms ends on Oct. 30, 2026, and owners who do not participate may deactivate, surrender without compensation, or export with a permit.
- Manitoba will not administer the program and critics cite a Nova Scotia pilot that retrieved 25 firearms, while Quebec and some police services support enforcement.