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5mo ago

Ottawa Launches Cape Breton Gun Buyback Pilot as Alberta Refuses to Enforce

Leaked audio of the public safety minister questioning the plan’s enforceability has sharpened political opposition.

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LIberal MP Nathalie Provost, left,, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Cape Breton Police Chief Robert Walsh participate in a press conference announcing the government's firearms buy-back program on Parliament Hill in West Block in Ottawa, Ont. on Tuesday, Sept. 23 2025.
FILE - A restricted gun licence holder holds a AR-15 at his home in Langley, B.C. on May 1, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Cape Breton Regional Police Chief Robert Walsh, shown with federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, right, during Tuesday’s news conference at Parliament Hill’s West Block in Ottawa: “As police, we see first-hand the devastating impacts of gun violence, and we know how important it is to remove these dangerous firearms from our communities.”

Overview

  • The federal pilot targets about 200 prohibited assault‑style firearms over six weeks in select Cape Breton areas, with an online declaration portal opening Oct. 1 and appointments handled by local police.
  • Officials say the program will expand nationwide later this fall through a declaration period, with collection and compensation to follow in 2026.
  • Alberta’s justice and public safety ministers directed that the buyback not be enforced in the province, saying it will not be an enforcement priority for police.
  • Cape Breton Regional Police agreed to participate in the pilot, while the Ontario Provincial Police have said they will not directly take part.
  • Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree called his leaked remarks “misguided” after audio captured him doubting enforcement and offering to bail out a non‑compliant owner, as critics assailed the $742‑million capped program covering roughly 2,500 models banned since 2020.