The federal firearms amnesty that was set to expire Oct. 30 has been extended again, giving gun owners across Alberta and Saskatchewan more time to comply with prohibitions before facing criminal liability.
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The Government of Canada confirmed the amnesty period now runs 90 days beyond the date the Supreme Court of Canada delivers its decision on appeals challenging the legality of the May 2020 firearms prohibition, according to a release from the Government of Saskatchewan. That decision is not expected before mid-2027.
What the extension covers
The extended amnesty applies to all orders tied to firearms prohibitions introduced in May 2020, December 2024 and March 2025, the province said.
Affected owners and businesses will remain protected from criminal liability for the duration of the extended amnesty period, provided they continue to meet the amnesty’s conditions, according to the provincial notice.
The May 2020 order originally prohibited roughly 1,500 models and variants of firearms classified as “assault-style,” with further restrictions added in the December 2024 and March 2025 rounds. The Supreme Court of Canada granted leave on March 19, 2026, to hear appeals challenging that original prohibition, which triggered the latest extension.
Saskatchewan resources for local gun owners
The Saskatchewan Firearms Office is continuing to run its Firearms Verification and Appraisal Service for residents trying to sort out how the federal rules apply to them. The program followed earlier moves outlined when Saskatchewan amended its firearms law in response to the federal buyback, part of a broader push the province has made in defending gun owners against the federal prohibitions.
The service offers three main options for Saskatchewan residents: firearm verification to determine whether a specific gun is affected by the bans, certificates of exemption allowing eligible owners to keep possessing and storing certain prohibited firearms once the amnesty eventually ends, and appraisals that establish fair market value for owners pursuing federal compensation.
More than 22,000 firearms were reported in the first week of the federal compensation program when it launched, according to earlier figures reported by the federal government.
What Alberta gun owners should know
The amnesty extension is federal and applies to firearm owners on both sides of the Border City, but the Saskatchewan Firearms Office verification and appraisal service is limited to Saskatchewan residents. Alberta gun owners are directed to federal sources, including the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, for guidance on how the extended amnesty and compensation program apply to them.
Saskatchewan residents can reach the Firearms Office at 1-833-792-2706 or visit www.saskatchewan.ca/firearms-verification for more information on verification, exemption and appraisal services.
The province said it is encouraging owners to use the verification service directly rather than relying on assumptions about how the prohibitions apply to their own firearms.
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