More than two decades after the deadly 1989 Montreal massacre spurred calls for stricter gun control, Canada's buyback programme for assault-style weapons is facing significant obstacles that threaten to undermine its effectiveness.

The federal government banned roughly 2,500 models of assault-style weapons in 2020 following the Nova Scotia mass shooting that killed 22 people. Owners of these now-prohibited firearms are entitled to compensation through a buyback scheme that has allocated more than C$215m ($155m; £117m). But the programme is encountering resistance on multiple fronts.

What the Right Is Saying

Legal gun owners, provincial governments and some law enforcement officials are pushing back against the programme from a different angle — arguing it unfairly targets lawful firearm owners and distracts from addressing illegal guns.

Alberta and Saskatchewan, two conservative provinces in western Canada, have refused to participate in the buyback. In Alberta, the programme will not be enforced at all. Saskatchewan has passed legislation shielding gun owners from criminal liability until they receive what the province describes as a guarantee of fair compensation.

"At its core, it's an ideological mandate that's being put out there that has limited to no discernible benefit to public safety," said Blaine Beaven, Saskatchewan's newly appointed firearms commissioner.

Frank Nardi, a Montreal-based gun shop owner, argued that the regulations unfairly target lawful hunters and sport shooters. He pointed to what he described as inconsistent logic in which firearms are banned — holding up two nearly identical guns, both same caliber and cartridge type, where one is prohibited and the other is not.

"Let's concentrate on that before slapping all these regulations and confiscations on all these legal firearm owners, who have always supported safety and followed the protocols," Nardi said.

Several police forces in Canada have also refused to assist with the programme, calling it a "significant operational burden" and saying their priority should be combating illegal gun smuggling instead.

What the Left Is Saying

Gun control advocates say the federal ban does not go far enough to protect public safety. Heidi Rathjen, a spokesperson for PolySeSouvient and a survivor of the 1989 École Polytechnique shooting, has been calling for a comprehensive ban on assault-style rifles since that tragedy.

"Without a comprehensive ban on assault weapons, there is no ban… and the money will be wasted," said Rathjen. She specifically pointed to the SKS semi-automatic rifle, which remains legal under current regulations despite being a similar firearm to those already banned.

Rathjen called the government's approach "a nightmare scenario" — compensating current owners while still allowing new purchases of certain rifle models. She said the programme appears headed for failure despite the significant investment of political capital and funding.

Progressive supporters of stronger gun control note that polling shows 82% of Canadians in 2020 expressed support for a ban on military-style assault weapons. They argue that half-measures undermine public safety and waste resources.

What the Numbers Show

The buyback programme has received declarations of more than 67,000 firearms from over 37,000 Canadians. The government had set aside funding to buy back a total of 136,000 guns — meaning the programme is currently tracking at roughly half its target.

Polling data indicates 82% of Canadians supported a ban on military-style assault weapons in 2020. Survey research also suggests most Canadians believe existing gun laws are either adequate or not strict enough.

Data from Ontario, Canada's most populous province, shows that approximately 91% of handguns recovered from crimes in 2024 originated from the United States — highlighting the challenge of illegal cross-border gun trafficking.

Australia's buyback programme after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre collected and destroyed roughly 650,000 firearms. New Zealand collected around 56,000 firearms following the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting.

The Bottom Line

Canada's gun buyback programme faces a uncertain future as it grapples with opposition from provinces, police forces and legal gun owners while also drawing criticism from gun control advocates who say it doesn't go far enough. The deadline for firearms to be turned in is now 30 October, though this date may shift as the Supreme Court prepares to hear a challenge from the Canadian Coalition of Firearm Rights. The group is advising gun owners who declared their firearms to withdraw their applications pending the court's decision, which likely won't arrive for several months. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has said the government intends to proceed with full implementation despite the criticism.

The programme's ultimate success or failure may depend on resolving the tension between activists who want broader bans and opponents who argue the current measures target legal owners rather than addressing illegal gun crime. The $215m investment represents Canada's most ambitious gun control effort in decades, but its effectiveness remains very much in question.