Ottawa outlaws another 179 types of firearms, announces classification review

OTTAWA – The Liberal government has outlawed another 179 firearm varieties, adding to the list of prohibited guns it considers too dangerous for use by hunters or sport shooters.

The government says all current and future variants of the newly listed firearms are prohibited, whether or not they are named in regulations.

Since May 2020, the federal government has outlawed approximately 2,500 types of guns it calls assault-style firearms.

It says a federal buyback program will provide current owners fair compensation for their outlawed firearms.

The program is already available to businesses and the government plans to expand it to individual owners this spring.

The government also announced a review of firearms classification that will look at modernizing the legal framework for prohibited guns to close gaps in the law.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.