Saskatchewan Changes Firearms Act to Ensure ‘Fair’ Compensation in Federal Buyback Program

Saskatchewan’s government is introducing amendments to the province’s firearms act to ensure gun owners receive “fair market value” for their firearms as Ottawa moves forward with its national gun buyback program.

The proposed amendments say that the value that gun owners receive would be determined by the Saskatchewan Firearms Commissioner, the government said on Nov. 25.

If a firearm owner does not receive fair market compensation for an impacted firearm within 12 months of the federal program coming into effect, the firearm will be deemed “seized,” the province says.

“The amendments we are introducing will promote public safety and help safeguard the heritage of law-abiding firearms owners by holding the federal government accountable for providing fair compensation to all affected Saskatchewan firearms owners,” Saskatchewan Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said in a Nov. 25 statement.

As the federal government has said funding for the program will be capped at $742 million and compensation will be offered on a “first-come, first-served” basis, there is no guarantee that gun owners will be compensated once the funding cap is reached.

The province expects to soon launch an online portal to provide appraisals for all firearms, ammunition, and accessories impacted by the federal legislation. The provincial government says firearm owners will be able to use the appraisals as evidence in court to hold Ottawa accountable for providing fair compensation.

The province says it continues to advocate for alternatives to the buyback program and encourage the federal government to fund initiatives that will address firearms smuggling and the use of illegal firearms in criminal activities instead.

“Rather than targeting law-abiding firearms owners, we believe our approach of providing law enforcement with the tools and expertise they need to secure and protect Saskatchewan communities from illegal firearms is a more effective firearms safety measure,” McLeod said.

The amendments would also allow the Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) to collect and store firearms on behalf of the province’s gun owners who want to voluntarily turn in their firearms. This would allow gun owners to pursue compensation from the federal government and avoid facing potential criminal charges for possessing the prohibited guns in the meantime, the government said.

“Individuals should not be criminalized for having a firearms licence and owning legally-obtained property,” SFO Commissioner Robert Freberg said in a Nov. 25 statement. “Lawful firearms owners are not causing public safety concerns in our communities.”

Freberg said the firearms that are affected by the buyback program are “rarely used in criminal activities across Canada.” He added that the “real concerns” are firearms that have been smuggled into Canada from the United States or those that have been illegally modified for use in criminal activities.

Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the types of guns the government is banning will help limit “the devastating effects of firearms violence.”

“These assault-style firearms are largely designed to kill people, not for hunting or sport shooting and have no place in Canada,” Anandasangaree said.

National Buyback Program

Anandasangaree told CBC News on Nov. 23 that the Liberal government’s gun buyback program would soon be launched across Canada, following the program’s initial pilot project in Nova Scotia that began on Sept. 23.

The buyback program aims to remove more than 2,500 firearms models, which the government classifies as “assault-style” firearms, from owners across the country. Public Safety Canada has said that eligible gun owners will be contacted regarding how they can take part in the program.

The department has said that participation in the program is voluntary, but those who don’t participate will not be eligible for compensation and will still be required to dispose of their prohibited firearms before the end of the amnesty period, which has been extended to Oct. 30, 2026.

The ban on “assault-style” firearms was first introduced by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2020. The Trudeau government initially announced the ban on the use, sale, and importation of more than 1,500 makes and models of firearms. The list of banned firearms was later expanded to more than 2,000 types.

The province of Alberta has also said it is opposed to Ottawa’s buyback program, while several police forces including the Ontario Provincial Police have said they will not take part in the enforcement of the program.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused the Liberal government of targeting law-abiding gun owners, while ignoring illegally smuggled firearms that are most often used by criminals.

Meanwhile, the Liberals have said that “assault-style” weapons should not be allowed in Canada, as they are “designed for mass casualties.”

Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.