Nykole King
Regina Leader-Post
Saskatchewan’s opposition to the federal gun ban and criticism of the buyback program has left some firearms owners caught in the middle.
The Canadian government rolled out the latest round of its national initiative on Jan. 19, offering payment to individuals who choose to hand over weapons deemed “assault-style” firearms.
Anyone who still possesses a banned gun after the amnesty period expires on Oct. 30, 2026 could risk criminal charges.
The Regina Leader-Post reached out to both the provincial and federal departments responsible for regulating guns. Neither would directly confirm whether Saskatchewan residents will be compensated given the misalignment between the two jurisdictions.
The province has declined to support the federal government’s national prohibition and its Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP). Saskatchewan introduced its own legislation to reinforce that position while Public Safety Canada says it’s up to the two levels of government to find a resolution.
“Should provincial laws put in place by the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments impede or limit the process for compensation in the ASFCP, individuals from those provinces who participated in the declaration would not be able to receive compensation for their prohibited firearms unless these jurisdictions allow them to do so,” said the federal agency in a prepared statement.
How does the buyback work?
The Canadian government recently opened up a declaration period for people wishing to voluntarily submit their banned weapons under the ASFCP.
The deadline to register is March 31.
Prohibited firearms are to be collected and destroyed in exchange for payment on a “first-come, first-serve basis.” Compensation is “subject to availability of program funds,” states the Government of Canada website, which displays the complete list of outlawed guns.
The program names 2,585 banned firearms and receivers, with compensation ranging from $150 to $9,945.
Those who file a declaration can choose to cancel before an appointment to turn in their firearms, said a spokesperson from Public Safety Canada.
The current buybacks are limited to individual gun owners while a previous round saw more than 1,000 firearms collected from retailers in Alberta and Saskatchewan, according to the federal department. The declaration period ran from November 2024 to April 2025.
The ban was first announced in May 2020, after which more firearms were added to the prohibited list.
What is Saskatchewan’s position?
In response to the federal government’s gun legislation, the province established the Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) in 2021 and passed the Saskatchewan Firearms Act two years later.
The act is a mechanism to help protect gun owners from having their possessions seized. It requires police officers and mobile collection units to hold a “valid seizure agent” licence issued by the SFO.
As of Jan. 22, SFO commissioner Robert Freberg said he hadn’t fielded any licence requests and did not elaborate on whether he would approve such applications if submitted.
Even with that protection in place, Saskatchewan can’t prevent a resident from facing criminal liability under federal law for possession of banned firearms.
Public Safety Canada did not say whether it would apply for seizure licences in Saskatchewan.
How many banned guns in Sask.?
Freberg says there could be anywhere from 35,000 to 85,000 prohibited firearms in the province, but the numbers are difficult to estimate since the national long-gun registry was retired in 2011.
The SFO plans on establishing locations across the province where prohibited guns can be stored to avoid criminal charges.
Freberg says a new online portal — set to go live in mid-to-late February — will offer gun appraisals and include options on how to apply for storage.
“(The guns) still belong to the individual, let me make that clear,” Freberg noted. “We are not seizing the firearm. We’re basically taking the liability away from the stakeholder by putting it into storage with various options attached to that.”
Freberg added that Saskatchewan is looking to provide access to appraisals if gun owners choose to take the federal government to court over unfair compensation.
What are the options?
Although compliance with Canada’s gun laws is not considered optional, participation in the buyback program remains voluntary and is not the sole method for disposing of prohibited weapons.
For information on how to turn in federally banned firearms during the grace period that expires Oct. 30, individuals will need to reach out to the SFO.
Firearms can also be permanently deactivated and kept, but only three businesses in the province are listed by the RCMP as licensed to do so: TnT Gunworks Ltd. in Regina, the Saskatoon Gunsmith Shoppe and Long Shot Gunsmithing in Birch Hills.
Gun owners who pursue permanent deactivation are to be reimbursed at a flat rate of $400-$700 per firearm, adds Public Safety Canada.
