The Liberal government has released its proposed price list for a mandatory firearm buyback program, which includes giving $1,337 in compensation for AR-15 owners.“Put simply, assault-style firearms, like the AR-15, do not belong in Canada. By design, their purpose is to kill as many people as possible, which is why our Government took the bold step of banning them from our country, once and for all," said Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.“Today’s proposed price list represents another step towards getting these dangerous firearms out of Canadian communities while ensuring current owners are compensated fairly."The mandatory buyback program would cover the more than 1,500 models and variants "assault-style firearms," which were banned two years ago following the Nova Scotia massacre in April 2020.The proposed pricing includes $1,291 for a CZ Scorpion, $1,407 for a Ruger Mini-14, $2,612 for a M-14s, $2,369 for a SIG Sauer MCX, $2,735 for a Robinson Armament, and $6,209 for a SG550.It will be mandatory for gun owners to take part in the buyback program, which entails having their designated firearms rendered inoperable at the government’s expense or otherwise lawfully disposed.The Liberal government said the proposed price list for individual firearms owners was developed to reflect what Canadians may have paid for an assault-style firearm prior to May 2020.Ottawa plans to seek input from firearm owners, businesses, and the industry on the proposed compensation amounts from now until August 28. A separate compensation model for firearms businesses that participate in the buyback program is also being developed.The Firearms Buyback Secretariat, a government body created to deal with the issue, spent $2.2 million in public funding on operational spending. It has yet to dispose of a single firearm.Tony Bernardo, the executive director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, said he doesn't believe $1,337 for an AR-15 is "adequate compensation.""AR-15s can cost up to $4,000. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work. It's like paying the same amount of money for a station wagon versus a brand new Mercedes. The price tags on these things are all over the map," he said.Bernardo said on Thursday he was in touch with several large firearms organizations that have been unable to get a hold of the Liberals' gun price list."Very large retailers are calling me and saying, 'Do you have a copy of this list? Where is it?'" he said.
