Federal gun amnesty extended while court case plays out
Ottawa delays enforcement deadline for banned firearms. Supreme Court challenge expected next year.
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The federal government is giving gun owners more time to comply with firearm bans while a legal challenge makes its way through the courts.
Ottawa has prohibited roughly 2,500 types of firearms since 2020, including the AR-15 and Ruger Mini-14, arguing they belong only on battlefields. Owners were originally told they had until October 30 to surrender or deactivate banned weapons.
Now, the amnesty deadline has been extended to 90 days after the Supreme Court of Canada delivers its decision on the bans — a ruling expected next year. The extension was announced as the court agreed in March to hear an appeal challenging the initial prohibition announced in May 2020.
The federal compensation program for banned firearms owners remains on track to end by October, regardless of the extended amnesty.
The Supreme Court challenge represents the highest-level legal test yet of Ottawa's firearms restrictions.