Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities. That is why the Government of Canada developed a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our communities. A central part of this work is a ban on assault-style firearms, like AR-15s. Since May 2020, our Government has prohibited more than 1,500 different models of assault-style firearms from being used or sold in Canada. Beyond just banning these firearms, the Government has also committed to establishing a buyback program to remove assault-style firearms from our communities for good.
The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, today announced a significant step in the development of the mandatory buyback program. The Government published the proposed price list, which details the compensation that owners would receive when their firearms are bought back. The Government welcomes the opinions and insights of firearms owners on the proposed list, from now until August 28, 2022. The goal of this consultation is to receive input from firearms owners, businesses and industry on the proposed compensation amounts.
No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence on its own. That is why the ban and buyback are two of the many elements in the Government's comprehensive plan to keep Canadians safe. This begins at our borders, where we've added resources to fight smuggling and stop guns from coming into Canada. We're investing in prevention programs to tackle the root causes of gun crime and stop it before it starts. Finally, we recently introduced Bill C-21 - the most significant action on gun violence in Canada in a generation - which includes a national freeze on handgun ownership, new "red flag" laws to stop domestic violence, and tougher penalties for organized crime.
