Ottawa unveils next steps in national gun buyback program.

The federal government opened a declaration window for its national gun buyback program through March 31 and set a $248.6-million fund; an amnesty for possession is scheduled to end Oct. 30, 2026.

The federal government has announced the next phase of its national gun buyback program and opened a declaration period for owners of banned firearms. Officials said the declaration window runs until March 31 and that compensation will be paid from a capped fund. Ottawa has banned about 2,500 makes and models since 2020 and confirmed the possession amnesty will end on Oct. 30, 2026. Some provinces will not administer the buyback program, though residents in those provinces can still make declarations. Key details: - Declaration period runs until March 31, and declarations can be submitted through the program process. - The compensation pool is $248.6 million, which the government says will cover roughly 136,000 outlawed firearms, with payments issued within 45 business days after successful validation. - The possession amnesty for banned firearms is scheduled to end on Oct. 30, 2026; after that date possession would be unlawful, the government announced. - Alberta and Saskatchewan will not run the program locally, but residents of those provinces can still submit declarations. Summary: The announcement sets firm dates and a capped funding amount for the national buyback and confirms the end date of the possession amnesty. Declarations will be accepted until March 31 and validated claims will be paid from the established fund; the amnesty for possession ends Oct. 30, 2026.