The federal government has refused to disclose how many prohibited firearms were actually surrendered during its gun “buyback” operation in Waterloo Region, offering only a collection target instead of a completed count.

Conservative MP Kelly DeRidder asked Public Safety Canada a narrow question on June 17: how many firearms had been “physically surrendered and collected” by the Waterloo Regional Police Service under the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program?

Public Safety Canada did not provide a number.

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Instead, the department said collection activities in Waterloo were taking place during June and July 2026 and had a target of approximately 800 firearms.

The response did not say whether the government reached that target, fell short of it or collected any firearms at all. It also failed to provide a final count after the collection period had ended.

A target of 800 firearms is not evidence that 800 firearms were surrendered.

Ottawa has repeatedly promoted the confiscation program as a public-safety measure aimed at removing prohibited firearms from circulation. However, the government’s response leaves taxpayers unable to determine whether its Waterloo pilot achieved its most basic objective.

The program offers compensation to licensed gun owners and businesses that surrender firearms prohibited through federal orders-in-council beginning in May 2020.

The government has referred to the scheme as a “buyback,” although Ottawa never sold the firearms to their lawful owners in the first place.