Gun owners in Canada have reported surrendering 22,251 firearms to the federal government within the first week of a new program offering compensation for banned guns. The initiative allows owners of prohibited firearms until the end of March to participate and receive payment for either turning in or permanently deactivating their weapons.
Since May 2020, approximately 2,500 types of firearms, such as the AR-15, have been banned by Ottawa due to their battlefield-specific nature. In line with this, owners must dispose of or deactivate their prohibited firearms and devices by the end of an amnesty period ending on Oct. 30.
Federal officials have allocated nearly $250 million for compensating individuals who choose to engage in the program, with the funds expected to cover around 136,000 firearms.