Toronto police say they will not help with federal government’s gun buyback program

Toronto police will not be participating in the federal government’s gun buyback program that aims to reduce the number of banned “assault-style” weapons in circulation across the country.

The Toronto Police Service (TPS) told CTV News Toronto in a statement on Tuesday that they requested further information and are committed to reviewing the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program once more details were provided.

“No operationally viable plan was presented. We must focus our efforts where they have the greatest public safety impact, including targeting criminals who use illegal firearms, particularly those entering Canada from the United States,” the force said in its statement.

“We will continue working with all levels of government on measures that deliver public safety results.”

Under the federal buyback program, which launched on Monday, owners of banned firearms have until the end of March to declare interest in a federal program offering compensation for turning in or permanently deactivating their guns.

Since May 2020, the federal government has outlawed about 2,500 types of guns, including the AR-15, saying they are designed for war and combat. Prohibited firearms and devices must be disposed of or permanently deactivated by the end of an amnesty period on Oct. 30, a spokesperson for Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree told CTV News Toronto in an emailed statement.

“While the compensation program is voluntary, compliance with the law is not. Impacted firearms and devices must be disposed of or deactivated by the end of the amnesty period,” the spokesperson said.

Only the Quebec government and police forces in Winnipeg, Halifax and Cape Breton have signed deals with the government to support the program. The government has said it will rely on mobile collection units across the rest of the country to collect the weapons.

“Canadians expect their governments and police forces to work collaboratively to keep communities safe,” the spokesperson said. “Several contribution agreements are in the works with provinces and polices of jurisdictions to facilitate the process for law-abiding gun owners across Canada that wish to be properly compensated for their now-prohibited assault-style firearm.”

The minister’s office said the government has already collected more than 12,000 assault weapons through the national buyback program.

In Ontario, the Ford government has refused to support the plan and the Ontario Provincial Police, which has jurisdiction over about a quarter of the province, declined to participate.

Federal officials have said that almost $250 million has been earmarked to compensate people who take part in the program by turning in their firearms or having them deactivated by a certified gunsmith. The government has said it anticipates the money will cover compensation for about 136,000 firearms.

Owners of banned guns who do not take part in the program can also comply with the law by deactivating their firearms at their own expense, turning them into local police for no compensation or exporting them if they hold an export permit.

With files from The Canadian Press