Liberals launch $250M fund to curb gun violence, tackle weapon smuggling

Canada launched a $250 million fund to curb gun violence, earmarking a significant amount to stop gun smuggling at the border, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Wednesday.

The fund will be used to help municipalities and indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence, and in banning more than 1,500 models of assault-style firearms.

Incidents related to gun violence in Canada have jumped 81 per cent since 2009, but the level of gun ownership is low compared to the United States. In Canada, there are 31 firearms per 100 residents, while the US has 89 firearms per 100 residents, according to a Small Arms Survey.

Mendicino said the government will be launching a “mandatory buy-back program” to get newly prohibited guns off the streets as part of Liberal government’s effort to keep communities safe.