175 firearms declared in P.E.I. under federal gun buyback program

About 175 firearms were declared in P.E.I. under the federal government’s buyback program, but the program has not released how many have been collected or destroyed.

The figures are part of the federal government’s assault-style firearms compensation program, which offers compensation to eligible gun owners who surrender firearms prohibited under federal regulations.

According to federal government’s Public Safety Canada website, 175 firearms were declared in P.E.I. as of June 8, among 68,717 across Canada.

The declaration period for the firearm ran from Jan. 19 to March 31, 2026. Only gun owners who submitted eligible declarations during that period can receive compensation through the program.

The federal government had estimated that firearm collection would take place between April and June 2026.

In an email to The Guardian, Public Safety Canada said national figures showing how many firearms have been collected and destroyed, along with the amount paid to participants, will be released after the program is completed later this fall.

The department also said it would not provide details about specific collection locations for security reasons.

What happens to gun owners who did not participate? Although the buyback program is voluntary, gun owners must still comply with federal firearms laws.

“While participating in the program is voluntary, compliance with the law is not,” Public Safety Canada said.

The department said owners must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their prohibited firearms before the amnesty period ends or risk criminal liability for illegal possession.

Gun owners who did not participate in the compensation program still have options to dispose of their firearms legally, but they will not receive payment.

They can contact their local police through a non-emergency number to arrange to surrender their firearms. Public Safety Canada advises owners not to bring firearms to a police station without first receiving instructions.

Owners can also have their firearms permanently deactivated by an authorized business or legally export them outside Canada.

The program has faced opposition from both the provincial government and the City of Charlottetown.

Premier Rob Lantz confirmed in a Feb. 20 interview with The Guardian that the province would not participate in or contribute financially to the federal program.

Charlottetown city council also voted against Charlottetown police taking part.

Five councillors spoke against the city’s involvement, with several arguing that the RCMP should be responsible for carrying out the federal program.

The federal government has prohibited more than 2,500 makes and models of firearms since May 2020.

The Guardian has contacted P.E.I. RCMP to find out what involvement it has had in the collection program, how many firearms it has collected and what role it will play moving forward. A response has not yet been received.

• Stay informed: Don’t miss the news you need to know. Sign up for our newsletter today.

Vivian Ulinwa is a reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. She can be reached at vulinwa@postmedia.com and followed on X @vivian_ulinwa.