A new poll from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) suggests Ontarians would rather see federal money spent supporting police than funding Ottawa’s gun ban and grab program.Leger polling found 44% of Ontarians agree with the Toronto Police Association that funds should go to law enforcement, while only 26% support spending on confiscating guns from licensed owners. Thirty percent remain unsure. Among those with an opinion, 62% side with police priorities.“The poll shows that Ontarians know the real problem is illegal gun crime, not firearms owned by licensed Canadian gun owners,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Premier Doug Ford needs to fight for Ontario taxpayers and licensed firearm owners and oppose Ottawa’s program. And Ottawa needs to stop wasting money on its gun confiscation program and instead listen to law-enforcement experts telling the federal government to focus on illegal guns.”The federal government rolled out the national gun grab program with a declaration period starting Jan. 19, committing $742 million, according to Budget 2025. .The Toronto Police Association says the funds could be better spent addressing crime directly rather than targeting law-abiding gun owners.Law-enforcement experts have long warned the program diverts personnel, resources, and funding away from tackling criminal use of illegal firearms. Clayton Campbell, president of the Toronto Police Association, said the confiscation program “is going to have, essentially, zero impact on the crime in Toronto.”Evidence from earlier pilot projects supports that claim. The federal government aimed to collect 200 firearms in the Cape Breton trial but only recovered 25. Meanwhile, Alberta and Saskatchewan have passed legislation to make federal confiscations more difficult in their provinces.“Ontarians and the experts both know this isn’t going to make anyone safer, so the government needs to stop wasting money on this scheme,” Haubrich said. “It’s time to listen to Ontarians and scrap the gun confiscation.”
