A recent Leger poll indicates that a majority of Ontarians support Premier Doug Ford's potential legislation to block the federal government's gun buyback program. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is urging Ford to take action, citing the poll results as clear evidence of public sentiment.
Poll Results Show Strong Support
The poll, conducted in late May, found that 56% of respondents with an opinion favored legislation to halt the federal program, while 44% opposed it. Support was particularly strong outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where 62% backed the move, compared to 38% against. Within the GTA, a slim majority rejected such legislation. Additionally, Ontarians over the age of 55 were more likely to support blocking the confiscation.
“The results of this poll are crystal clear: Ontarians want Ford to block the gun grab in Ontario,” said Gage Haubrich, Prairie Director of the CTF. “Ontarians know that this wasteful and ineffective gun grab won’t make anyone safer. Law enforcement experts across Ontario are saying the same thing, and Ford himself has said that the gun ban will be ineffective.”
Law Enforcement Opposition
Support for the federal buyback program is thin among Canadian police agencies. The Ontario Provincial Police, responsible for policing roughly one-quarter of Ontario, along with police services in Toronto, Durham, Hamilton, Ottawa, and Halton, have stated they do not intend to participate in the program.
The CTF has long advocated for using provincial legislation to block the gun grab. In April, the organization called on Premier Ford to prevent the program from being implemented in Ontario.
Cost and Effectiveness Concerns
The 2025 federal budget allocated $742 million for the confiscation program, but many observers believe the final cost could reach into the billions. A six-week pilot project in Cape Breton last fall saw only 25 guns handed in by 16 people, with the government paying $26,535 in compensation—an average of $1,658.44 per firearm. Critics have branded the program a failure even before its nationwide launch.
“The pilot, which was an optional step leading up to the nationwide launch, allowed us to identify any gaps or challenges in the system and ensure the program is operating smoothly before being opened nationwide,” Public Safety Canada told the Toronto Sun earlier this year.
Ontario Director of the CTF, Noah Jarvis, emphasized that the federal plans will cost taxpayers money without improving public safety. “Ford can take the next step to protect legal firearm owners by passing a law to block the federal government’s gun grab,” he said.
The poll results come as similar legislation has already been tabled and adopted in Alberta and Saskatchewan, setting a precedent for provincial resistance to the federal program.
