The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is escalating its legal battle with the federal government, asking the Federal Court to overturn a decision that allows Ottawa to keep key cost estimates for its gun confiscation program secret.

At issue is the federal government’s refusal to release full projected costs of the program, which the CTF argues taxpayers have a right to see.

Ottawa is still hiding the true cost of its gun ban and confiscation scheme.

Now the CTF is back in Federal Court to challenge it.

Taxpayers deserve the truth about the cost of a program that will do NOTHING to make Canadians safer.https://t.co/DhY7EZ324g

— Devin Drover (@DevinDrover) March 23, 2026

The dispute dates back to July 2023, when the CTF filed an access-to-information request seeking detailed cost projections. While the government released partial records in January 2024, those documents only included an estimate from the RCMP’s Pacific Region, pegging costs at $12.6 million for confiscation and destruction efforts in that area.

Ottawa withheld cost projections from other RCMP divisions.

Go Ad Free

After filing a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner in April 2024, the CTF waited more than a year without a resolution. The organization then filed a mandamus application to compel the commissioner to act. In response, the commissioner issued a report accepting a new federal claim that the remaining records are protected under cabinet confidence.

That claim is now being challenged in Federal Court, with the CTF arguing the government is improperly using cabinet secrecy to shield basic financial information.

The transparency fight comes as the overall cost of the program remains widely disputed.

Budget 2025 earmarks at least $742 million for the gun ban and confiscation effort. However, earlier estimates have varied significantly. The Liberal Party initially suggested a $200 million price tag in 2019, while the Parliamentary Budget Officer projected compensation costs alone could reach as high as $756 million. Some external estimates have put the total cost closer to $6 billion.

The union representing RCMP members has also raised concerns, warning the program diverts resources away from addressing criminal use of illegal firearms.

The case now moves to Federal Court, where a judge will decide whether Ottawa can continue to withhold the full cost breakdown from the public.