Province won’t offer firearm buyback program

Manitoba’s justice minister says the province won’t administer a federal buyback program for assault-style firearms.

“We have expressed our concerns regarding the cost and administrative burden of the (Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program) and believe these resources would be better directed towards front-line policing,” said a form letter provided late Thursday by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.

“Premier (Wab) Kinew is a gun owner and understands the many legal, legitimate uses of firearms,” the letter said. “Our government will always respect law-abiding firearm owners.”

The letter appears to be a prepared response to correspondence from those asking about the buyback program in Manitoba. It directed inquiries to the chief firearms officer for Manitoba at the RCMP.

Wiebe was not made available for an interview and his communications staff did not immediately respond to a request for more information. Manitoba RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The federal government banned more than 2,500 makes and models of assault-style firearms since May 2020.

The buyback program was developed to provide compensation for eligible businesses and individuals who own the prohibited firearms and devices and participate in the program.

A Public Safety Canada news release said 12,000 prohibited firearms were collected from businesses who received more than $22 million in compensation before the program closed on April 30, 2025. The federal government said the program will reopen to eligible businesses in early 2026 to submit claims for prohibited firearms and devices.

Participation in the buyback program is voluntary but compliance with the law is not, it said.

Individuals and businesses (except those with required registration certificates and specific privileges on their licence) must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms before the amnesty period ends on Oct. 30. If not, they risk criminal liability for illegal possession of a prohibited firearm.

Individual assault-style firearm owners and businesses will be notified when the program opens, a Public Safety Canada news release said.

Before forming government, Kinew called on the federal government to withdraw an amendment to Bill C-21, which was designed to ban handguns, but was expanded to create a definition of “assault-style” guns and a list of long guns.

“The current approach is an overreach,” Kinew said in 2022, adding that he owns three long-guns and enjoys hunting with his family.

He said the legislation, which has since become law, was causing concern for law-abiding gun owners. The respectful use of firearms is a part of Manitoba’s culture, he added.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca