In 2020, Canada announced that it would ban more than 1,500 models and variants of assault-type firearms, such as AR-15s, and implement a buy-back program.
On July 28, the Canadian government released the proposed price list for the Buyback Program, which details the compensation owners would receive when buying back their firearms.
The government has also opened the consultation period on the program and welcomes opinions and ideas from gun owners on the proposed list, by August 28, 2022. The purpose of this consultation is to receive comments gun owners, businesses and industry on the proposed compensation amounts.
The amounts vary by firearm category, but range from $1,139 for the VZ.58 to $6,209 for the SG550 and SG551 assault rifles.
It will be mandatory for individuals to participate in the buyback program, have their assault-type firearms rendered unusable at government expense, or otherwise dispose of them legally. A separate and distinct compensation model for companies participating in the buyback program is being developed. Specific consultations will also take place this summer.
Prohibition and repurchase are two of many elements of the government’s overall plan to keep Canadians safe. It starts at the country’s borders, where resources have been added to fight smuggling and prevent guns from entering Canada. The government is also investing in prevention programs to address the root causes of gun crime and stop it before it starts. In May, the government introduced Bill C-21 – the most significant measure against gun violence in Canada in a generation – which includes a national freeze on handgun ownership, new “red flag” laws to end violence domestic and tougher penalties for organized crime.
