Police across Canada say many details still lacking as feds forge ahead with gun buyback

OTTAWA — Police across Canada say they are unsure whether they will participate in the federal firearms buyback, with many reporting a lack of detail from government officials.

It comes as time is ticking down to when the federal Liberal government plans to expand the compensation process being piloted in Nova Scotia nationwide later this fall, aimed at gun owners who possess one of the more than 2,500 firearm makes and models the government has banned since 2020.

Officials estimate that it covers around 179,600 guns.

Mark Campbell, president of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, says he is trying to arrange a meeting between the province’s municipal police leaders and Public Safety Canada, so they can pose their questions directly to officials.

“The current hesitation for a lot of services is not understanding the program,” he told National Post in an interview.

One of those concerns, he says, is how many registered firearms belong to each jurisdiction, which impacts collection efforts.

National Post contacted more than 60 municipal police services to gauge whether they would participate in the program, with many saying the current answer was no, particularly in Ontario.

“We do not have the staffing, storage capacity, or resources required to participate,” said Andrew Harvie, deputy chief of Brockville, Ont., police. He added the service would continue to accept guns that were turned over to police, as is standard practice.

Durham Regional Police, one of the largest in the Greater Toronto Area, said it was trying to get more details.

“(Durham Regional Police Service) has not been informed of the program details, nor have we been afforded an opportunity to ask questions,” wrote spokesman Const. Nick Gluckstein.

In Hamilton, Ont., the city’s police chief says they last met with former public safety minister Marco Mendicino back in 2023 to discuss the program, but have had no further discussions since.

“The scale of such a program would require careful planning, clear coordination, and effective communication with resources and funding. At this time, no structured framework or direction has been provided to Hamilton police.”

Police in North Bay, Ont., said much of the same. Peterborough Police Chief Stuart Betts said their force lacks “sufficient information or details” to say whether it intends to participate, while Barrie police said it has no plans to do so and “have had no conversations about participating.”

Brantford, Ont., police said it was still evaluating the program, while Toronto police said it would review details once they were announced in full.

“We remain focused on apprehending criminals who use illegal firearms and we continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to address the flow of illegal firearms coming across the border,” a Toronto police spokeswoman wrote.

Campbell of the Ontario Police Chiefs Association, who also serves as the chief of Strathroy-Caradoc police, says expectations around enforcement have been among the issues it has been encouraging federal officials to detail, given that “overwhelming evidence” suggests guns being used in crimes are those being smuggled illegally over the border.

“The impact of long guns that are owned by community members who lawfully own those guns aren’t part of the overall priority issues when it comes to crime involving the use of firearms,” he said.

A spokesman for Ontario’s Solicitor General said the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the province’s largest police force, has expressed concerns about the program, which it shares.

“The federal government’s gun buyback program has done nothing to address the root causes of gun violence in our communities,” wrote Oleksandr Shvets.

An OPP spokesperson added it was engaged in “ongoing consultation” with the ministry to determine its involvement.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has vowed against enforcing the program, with municipal police services like in Medicine Hat., Alta., saying they were reviewing the program. Edmonton police say they remain committed to speaking with other law enforcement to see how it could lend support “without impacting our existing resources.”

Meanwhile, police in Regina said it was awaiting direction from Premier Scott Moe’s government.

Winnipeg police were the only service to confirm it intends to take part, saying the city approved an agreement that would see Public Safety Canada cover the costs associated with doing so, which federal officials say they are prepared to do for other agencies.

Police in Abbotsford, B.C., added that they support the program’s objectives, but “are asking for further consultation and engagement so this program can be implemented responsibly, effectively, and with public trust.”

Federal officials say negotiations with police remain ongoing and that the government does not intend to impact day-to-day policing operations with the program.

In Nova Scotia, where the government launched a pilot to test the compensation process, with the cooperation of Cape Breton police, at least three other police services in the province say they have no plans to participate, at least for now.

“At this time, the federal government has not directed police agencies, including the New Glasgow Regional Police, to enforce the firearms buyback program,” said Steve Chisholm, chief of the New Glasgow police.

“In fact, the federal Minister of Public Safety has recently acknowledged that police services across the country lack the resources to carry out such enforcement. We are also aware that some major police agencies, such as the Ontario Provincial Police, have publicly indicated they are not participating.”

The police chief was referring to remarks Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree made in a private conversation that was leaked to the media, where he doubted the ability of local police to enforce the policy.

Anandasangaree later clarified that he believed “law-abiding citizens” would follow the law and police would enforce the Criminal Code.

Officials who spoke to reporters in a not-for-attribution briefing earlier this week said gun owners have the option to surrender their weapon for compensation, have it deactivated, or turn it over to police, but that failing to do so by the end of the amnesty period, which the minister extended until October 2026, could result in criminal penalties or licence revocation.

National Post

• Minister defends position on gun 'buy-back' program, as Liberals announce pilot for owners
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