OTTAWA, ON, April 1, 2026 /CNW/ - The nation-wide declaration period of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP) for individuals ended on March 31, 2026. To date, more than 67,000 assault-style firearms have been declared by 37,869 firearm owners across Canada.

As of yesterday, firearms owners with prohibited firearms no longer have the option to come forward to seek compensation through the ASFCP. The program will continue to complete declarations for:

• Firearm owners who have opened a case with the ASFCP contact centre prior to the end of the declaration period (e.g. due to a technical issue or to request non digital support).
• Canadian Armed Forces members and law enforcement officers deployed outside the country.

Beginning in April, the program will assess declarations submitted by firearms owners. The program will communicate directly with participants through the ASFCP online portal, or by phone or mail if they filled out a paper declaration, to give instructions on how to finalize their claims, permanently deactivate, or make an appointment to turn in their firearms for compensation. Following the assessment period, collection and compensation processes are expected to run from spring through early fall 2026 in various parts of the country. Collection will be undertaken by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, local police or secured mobile collection units. Details will be provided to individual owners for their specific area.

Participation in the compensation program is voluntary, but compliance with the law is not. Individuals who did not declare their prohibited firearms during the declaration period must dispose of or permanently deactivate them before the amnesty period ends on October 30, 2026. Owners in possession of a prohibited firearm or device following this date will be non-compliant with legislation and could face the loss of their Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), as well as criminal liability.

The Government of Canada remains committed to combatting firearms-related crime and violence including with the ASFCP, which will help remove dangerous, assault-style firearms from Canadian communities.

Quote(s)

"I want to thank all firearms owners who chose to declare their assault-style firearms and take advantage of the compensation on offer. These types of weapons do not belong in our communities."

- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

Quick Facts

• Firearms owners who chose not to participate in the ASFCP will have to dispose of their prohibited firearms and devices by deactivating their firearm at their own expense, turning them in to police without compensation, or exporting them in order to be compliant with the law before the end of the amnesty period. Firearm owners can call their local police to book an appointment to turn in their firearms without compensation. Do not call 9-1-1.
• Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies deployed outside Canada who may have experienced difficulties declaring their prohibited firearms before March 31, 2026 will be accommodated upon their return to Canada. We invite them to call our contact centre. Those who have declared but will be on deployment during collection and compensation should also call our contact centre as soon as possible.
• The compensation program for businesses ran successfully between November 2024 and April 2025 for firearms prohibited in May 2020. Over 12,000 firearms have already been collected and destroyed. This program will reopen in April to include firearms prohibited in December 2024 and March 2025, and continue to accept those prohibited in May 2020.
• The Government of Canada created the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program to successfully give eligible owners and businesses a clear option to dispose of firearms that were previously legally acquired but are now prohibited firearms and receive fair compensation. The program supports public safety by helping ensure these firearms are removed from civilian circulation in a secure and lawful way.

Associated Links

• Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program
• Firearms Policy
• Number of assault-style firearms declared by province and territory
• Government of Canada opens the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program to all individual firearms owners
• Government of Canada moves forward with the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program for individual firearms owners

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SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada