On February 27, 2026, the Guelph Police Service announced it will not act as a collection site for the federal government’s program to pay owners for certain banned firearms in Guelph, Ontario. While the police will still accept these weapons to be destroyed, they will not be providing the cash payments offered by the national buyback plan.
According to the federal government, the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program was created to give owners money for surrendering specific types of firearms that were banned in 2020. Residents who want to be eligible for this money have until March 31, 2026, to submit a declaration for their firearms through the federal website.
Local gun owners are reminded that the legal deadline to hand in or permanently disable these weapons is October 30, 2026. After this date, anyone still in possession of these specific firearms could face criminal charges for having a prohibited weapon.
Residents in Guelph who want to get rid of any unwanted firearms should not bring them directly to the police station. Instead, they must call the police communications unit at 519-824-1212 to have an officer come and pick up the item safely.
The police service noted that by opting out of the federal collection process, they are focusing local resources on community safety rather than managing the logistics of the government’s payment program.
