The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released new Leger polling showing more Ontarians want the federal government to spend money supporting police forces rather than spending it on Ottawa’s gun ban and confiscation program.

“The poll shows that Ontarians know the real problem is illegal gun crime, not firearms owned by licenced 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 announced the rollout of the national gun confiscation program with a declaration period starting on Jan. 19.

The government has committed $742 million to carry out its gun ban and confiscation scheme, according to Budget 2025. The Toronto Police Association says those funds can be better used to make Ontarians safer by funding law enforcement activities.

The Leger poll asked Ontarians how they think that money can be used most effectively to increase public safety. Results of the poll show:

• 44 per cent agree with the Toronto Police Association that the money would be better spent on law enforcement
• 26 per cent agree with the federal government that the money would be better spent on a program confiscating guns from licensed owners.
• 30 per cent are unsure.

Among Ontarians with an opinion, 62 per cent agree with the Toronto Police Association.

The poll results echo what law-enforcement experts have been saying for years.

The union representing RCMP members says Ottawa’s buyback “diverts extremely important personnel, resources, and funding away from addressing the more immediate and growing threat of criminal use of illegal firearms.”

“We know that the gun buyback program is going to have, essentially, zero impact on the crime in Toronto,” said Clayton Campbell, the president of the Toronto Police Association.

The government aimed to confiscate 200 firearms during the Cape Breton pilot project. It only collected 25.

The governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan have passed laws to make it harder for the feds to confiscate guns in those 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.”