Canada’s strict gun laws include a ban on assault-style firearms and a national freeze on the sale, purchase and transfer of handguns, part of a wider effort aimed at reducing gun violence, the government says. Under the policy framework, the Canadian government has moved to restrict a large set of firearms while also setting deadlines for the disposal or permanent deactivation of guns that become prohibited.
The government says it has banned more than 2,500 makes and models of assault-style firearms in recent years. In 2020, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an immediate ban of more than 1,500 models on May 1, 2020, roughly two weeks after a gunman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia. Trudeau’s remarks at the time included: “Canadians need more than thoughts and prayers,” according to the Associated Press.
Trudeau’s announcement covered two weapons used by the Nova Scotia gunman, as well as the AR-15 and other firearms that have been used in a number of mass shootings in the United States, the Associated Press reported. The government’s approach also includes a national freeze on the sale and purchase of handguns that took effect in October 2022.
The handgun freeze does not apply to people who were already authorized to carry handguns, and it does not apply to those involved in shooting sports covered by the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee. Canadian officials described the gun measures as part of what they call a comprehensive approach to combatting gun violence, alongside other recent efforts.
Those other efforts include implementing lifetime background checks and investing in law enforcement and border operations, according to the Associated Press. The government has also helped fund community projects intended to raise awareness of “Red Flag” laws, which allow anyone to apply to courts to temporarily prevent access to firearms for people who pose a danger to themselves or others.
As part of the crackdown on prohibited weapons, Canada has also used compensation programs to encourage voluntary surrender. More than 12,000 guns were collected and destroyed under a compensation program for businesses that ran between November 2024 and April 2025.
A similar compensation program for individuals opened last month. It is designed to compensate gun owners who voluntarily turn in banned weapons by March 31, and the Associated Press said those who do not participate must dispose of or permanently deactivate their prohibited guns before an amnesty period ends Oct. 30.