Thunder Bay Police Declines Federal Firearms Compensation Program

TBPS chooses not to join federal ASFCP, pointing to limited resources; other police services in Ontario are also opting out.

TBPS cites resource challenges and states program model is outside local policing duties

THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) has announced it won’t take part in the federal government’s Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP), expressing worries about how the program is set up and the potential pressure it could put on frontline policing.

In an official statement, TBPS mentioned that the program’s “collection model, administrative structure, and resource requirements” do not align with the service’s operational responsibilities or available resources. They added that with rising calls for service, participating could hinder their ability to handle everyday operational needs.

Reasons Behind TBPS’s Decision

TBPS framed this choice as a matter of resources and mandate, indicating that joining the federal compensation program might redirect personnel and resources when police support is already “crucial” due to increasing service requests.

The service did not give any timeline for a possible future review of this decision and stressed that it was made after “careful consideration.”

Overview of ASFCP

The federal government describes the ASFCP as a voluntary compensation initiative designed to take prohibited “assault-style” firearms out of circulation, following bans introduced starting in May 2020 and expanded later.

For individual owners, Public Safety Canada states that the nationwide declaration period will run from January 19, 2026 to March 31, 2026. Eligible owners need to submit a declaration via the federal portal (or by mail) within this timeframe if they wish to be included in the collection and compensation process.

After this declaration period closes, collection may be carried out through the RCMP, local police forces, or mobile collection units based on regional logistics.

Public Safety Canada also points out that while participation for compensation is voluntary, complying with legal requirements isn’t optional. Owners who choose not to participate must still dispose of or permanently deactivate prohibited firearms before the amnesty ends on October 30, 2026.

Other Ontario Police Services Opting Out

Thunder Bay’s decision reflects similar announcements from various Ontario police services and municipalities stating they won’t provide federal collection appointments under the ASFCP. Many cite resource limitations and unclear operational expectations as reasons for their stance.

Among them:

data-start=“2779”>York Regional Police stated it will not participate.

data-start=“2876”>Durham Regional Police Service indicated it will not participate “at this time,” highlighting “significant gaps” along with insufficient clarity regarding operations and resources.

data-start=“3081”>Peterborough Police Service confirmed it won’t deploy officers or resources to actively pursue firearms under this program.

data-start=“3248”>North Bay Police Service declared its non-participation due to lack of an organized operational framework.

data-start=“3409”>Greater Sudbury Police Service announced its decision not to join while focusing its efforts on core policing functions.

data-start=“3568”>Timmins Police Service stated participation isn’t feasible because of limited resources and absence of a clearly defined operational framework.

data-start=“3753”>Brantford Police Service said it would not take part nor offer collection or storage appointments related to this federal initiative.

data-start=“3944”>Sarnia Police Service confirmed its non-participation along with no offering of collection appointments.

SOUTH SIMCOE POLICE SERVICE

South Simcoe Police opted out too citing participation isn’t mandatory for local services.

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POLICE OFFICERS IN SMITHS FALLS POLICE SERVICE REJECTED PARTICIPATION AND WILL NOT OFFER COLLECTION APPOINTMENTS
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`POLICING IN ONTARIO LEADERSHIP – LOCAL BOARDS MAKE DECISIONS’