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Three decades after Montreal massacre, Canada struggles with gun buyback
Heidi Rathjen has campaigned for a ban on assault-style rifles since 1989, when a gunman killed 14 women at Montreal's École Polytechnique. More than 35 years later, Canada's effort to remove such weapons from circulation is faltering amid legal challenges, provincial opposition, and skepticism from both gun owners and activists.
Government program misses targets
Ottawa introduced a ban on approximately 2,500 models of assault-style firearms in 2020 following another mass shooting. The accompanying buyback scheme, designed to compensate owners for turning in prohibited weapons, has encountered significant obstacles. With a budget of C$215 million ($155 million; £117 million), the government aimed to collect 136,000 firearms. To date, only 67,000 guns have been voluntarily declared by 37,000 Canadians.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree initially questioned the program's logic in a leaked 2025 recording, arguing that most gun crimes involve illegal weapons. He later walked back his remarks, calling the buyback a critical public safety measure. The deadline for owners to surrender firearms has been extended multiple times, with the current cutoff set for 30 October.
Provinces and police push back
Alberta has refused to enforce the buyback, while Saskatchewan has shielded gun owners from criminal liability until fair compensation is guaranteed. Blaine Beaven, Saskatchewan's firearms commissioner, criticized the ban as an "ideological mandate" with "limited benefit to public safety."
Several police forces have also declined to assist, citing operational burdens and a preference for targeting illegal gun smuggling. Ontario data shows 91% of handguns recovered in crimes in 2024 originated in the U.S., underscoring the challenge of curbing illegal firearms.
Gun owners and activists divided
Frank Nardi, a Montreal gun shop owner, argued the ban unfairly targets lawful hunters and sport shooters. He pointed to inconsistencies in the classification of banned weapons, demonstrating two nearly identical rifles-one prohibited, the other not-despite sharing the same caliber and cartridge type.
"Let's address mental health failures before imposing regulations on legal owners who prioritize safety,"
Frank Nardi, Montreal gun shop owner
Rathjen, now a spokesperson for PolySeSouvient, called the buyback a "nightmare scenario," criticizing the government for compensating owners without banning all assault-style rifles, including the SKS semi-automatic. She warned the program risks wasting resources without a comprehensive ban.
Legal challenges loom
The Supreme Court of Canada will hear a challenge to the ban from the Canadian Coalition of Firearm Rights, which has urged owners to withdraw their buyback applications pending the ruling. Tracey Wilson, a coalition founder, suggested the group may seek another amnesty extension if the government does not act first.
"We won't wait for them to do right by Canadians,"
Tracey Wilson, Canadian Coalition of Firearm Rights
Public support amid implementation hurdles
Despite the backlash, polling shows broad Canadian support for gun control. In 2020, 82% of Canadians backed a ban on military-style assault weapons. The country's licensing system requires safety courses and background checks, contrasting sharply with U.S. laws, which have contributed to cross-border smuggling.
Mass shootings in Canada, however, often involve legally obtained long guns, as seen in the 2020 Nova Scotia attack (22 killed) and the February 2026 Tumbler Ridge shooting (8 killed), where the suspect used a modified, unregistered rifle.
What's next
Anandasangaree has reaffirmed the government's commitment to the buyback, thanking owners who complied by the recent deadline. However, with legal challenges pending and provincial resistance, the program's future remains uncertain. Rathjen and other activists continue to press for a broader ban, arguing that half-measures undermine public safety gains.
