The association representing police chiefs in British Columbia has formally raised significant concerns regarding the preparedness of a federally developed software system intended to manage the upcoming national firearms buyback program.
Letter to Minister Highlights Operational Concerns
In a letter dated September 9, 2025, the British Columbia Association of Police Chiefs (BCAPC) outlined its apprehensions to federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. The document, also sent to B.C.'s public safety minister, was obtained by the National Post through federal access-to-information legislation.
While affirming their support for the program's goals and a commitment to collecting firearms safely to build public trust, the police chiefs expressed united worries. "We do not believe the (case management system) will be ready in time to allow for the necessary training or deployment during the amnesty period," the letter stated.
Core Issues with the Federal Case Management System
The letter was signed by John Brower, an assistant commissioner of the RCMP in B.C., and Matt Hardy, a superintendent with the Vancouver Police Department. It specifically targets the case management system (CMS)—the federal software designed to administer the entire compensation program.
According to Leanne MacLeod, interim executive director of the BCAPC, this system encompasses the web portal for gun owners to register and the tracking mechanism for the firearms themselves. She clarified that the concern is not about local police IT readiness, but about the federal infrastructure's ability to support training and operations in time for the program launch.
In response to the initial concerns, the association sent a follow-up letter in November 2025 seeking a status update aligned with revised launch timelines.
Proposed Solution and Program Context
Given the potential software delays, the BCAPC has recommended that the Department of Public Safety deploy mobile units as the "primary" method for collecting banned firearms from the public. This suggestion aims to circumvent potential failures or inefficiencies in the digital system.
The federal government extended an amnesty for owners of now-banned firearms until October 2026. This protects individuals possessing any of the over 2,500 makes and models of firearms prohibited as "assault-style" weapons since 2020 from criminal liability while the buyback is organized.
The Liberal government plans to initiate the compensation program, offering money to gun owners who surrender their weapons, sometime in January 2026. The National Post also reviewed an August 2025 email from an RCMP official summarizing a meeting with the public safety department about the program and an upcoming pilot in Cape Breton.
As of the reporting date, a formal response from the Department of Public Safety to the police chiefs' concerns had not been provided.
