Gun Owners Declare Over 22,000 Firearms for Compensation Program
Public Safety Canada has announced that in the initial week of the compensation program for banned firearms, gun owners across the country reported a total of 22,251 guns to the federal government.
Under this program, individuals with prohibited firearms have until the end of March to express their interest in receiving compensation in exchange for surrendering or permanently deactivating their weapons.
Since May 2020, the Canadian government has prohibited approximately 2,500 types of firearms, including the AR-15, citing that these firearms are suitable only for military use.
Any banned firearms or related devices must be discarded or rendered permanently inactive by the conclusion of an amnesty period on Oct. 30.
Federal authorities have disclosed that a budget of nearly $250 million has been allocated to compensate participants in the program. It is estimated that this funding will cover the compensation for around 136,000 firearms.
This initiative aims to enhance public safety by reducing the presence of banned firearms in the community.