Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program – Individuals
Privacy Impact Assessment Overview
Title
Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program for Individuals
Description
The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians from firearms violence, including mass shootings. Most of Canada's mass shootings over the past 40 years have involved assault-style firearms (ASFs). Given these events, the growing concern for public safety, the increasing public demand for measures to address gun violence and mass shootings and, in particular, the concern resulting from the inherent deadliness of ASFs that are not suitable for civilian use, the Governor in Council prohibited approximately 2,000 makes and models of ASFs and certain upper receivers in May 2020. This was followed by the prohibition of approximately 500 makes and models in December 2024 and March 2025.
As part of this strategy, the Government announced the Assault-Style Firearm Compensation Program (ASFCP). The ASFCP is a voluntary Program and offers fair compensation to eligible businesses and individuals who turn in, or deactivate, their affected ASFs.
PS will work closely with its partners to develop and implement a results-driven program, namely RCMP and ESDC/Service Canada who are collaborators on this multi-institutional Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). All three institutions are committed to working together for the purposes of the program to facilitate the self-declaration of ASF owners; the collection, validation, and destruction of ASFs; and issuing compensation.
Why a privacy impact assessment was completed
In accordance with the Policy on Privacy Protection and the Directive on Privacy Practices, a PIA is required prior to undertaking a new program or activity that will involve the creation, collection, use, disclosure, retention or disposal of personal information for an administrative purpose.
Additional Information
As a result of the assessment, eight (8) privacy risks were identified. These included following:
- Ensuring clarity on partner roles and responsibilities;
- Aligning the PIA and ISAs;
- Limiting the collection of personal information;
- Clarifying consequences for refusing consent;
- Finalizing security and threat risk assessments;
- Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
- Establishing retention and disposal processes for information held in the Common System for Grants and Contributions (CSGC); and
- Defining roles, responsibilities and completing SOPs for the Pilot.
Of these risks, seven (7) have been mitigated or will be mitigated prior to the collection of personal information. Mitigation measures for the remaining risk are presently under development while a retention and disposition process is being established for CSGC. The risk level for this item has been assessed as Low.
Related personal information banks
The following personal information banks are relevant to the ASFCP for individuals:
- PS PPU 051 – Assault Style Firearm Compensation Program: This bank describes information related to the administration of the ASFCP and supports the activities within the program.
- RCMP PPU 037 - Canadian Firearms Information System: This bank describes the collection of personal information held in the CFIS.
- RCMP PPU 100 - Canadian Firearms Program: This bank describes the collection of personal information related to the activities under the CFP, mainly via collection instruments (applications) for firearm licensing of businesses, for registration of restricted and prohibited firearms, etc.
- ESDC PPU 729 – Call Centre Operations: This bank describes information collected and used to support clients and reply to general enquiries. The information collected is limited to contact and name information in most cases, unless enquiries are of a threatening nature or require escalation. Personal information is stored on ESDC/Service Canada's customer support delivery tool. No personal information will be phone-recorded.
- ESDC PPU 702 - Processing and Payment Services: This bank describes information collected and used to support payment processing to eligible individuals who participate in Phase 2 of the ASFCP.
- PSU 942 - Evaluation: Personal information is used in data collection and analysis when undertaking evaluations.
The following personal information bank may be relevant to the ASFCP for individuals:
- RCMP PPU 007 - Inquiries by Firearms Owners, Licence Applicants and the general Public: This bank describes information used in the preparation of responses to registration and licence applicants about the interpretation of a section, subsection, etc., of the Firearms Act.
For more information about this privacy impact assessment
For more information about the program please consult the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program website.
For questions and information related to this PIA, please contact Public Safety Canada's Privacy Policy and Governance Unit at ppgu-upprpg@ps-sp.gc.ca.
Information Sharing Arrangements
ASFCP for Individuals – Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Title
Information Sharing Arrangement between Public Safety Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the delivery of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (For Individuals)
Date of entry into force
September 12, 2025
Duration of the Arrangement
This arrangement will expire at the end of the ASFCP.
Date of review
Annually
Purpose
To facilitate the collection, use, retention, disclosure, accuracy, correction, update, sharing, storage and disposal of information and Personal Information between Public Safety Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for the purpose of administering and delivering the ASFCP to individuals.
Legal authorities
Subsections 4(1) and 6(1) of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code of Canada.
Information being disclosed and collected
Residential and mailing addresses (if different from residential address), preferred language, date of birth, Possession and Acquisition Licence number and expiry date, email address, phone number and firearms information.
Personal Information banks (including the title and number)
- RCMP PPU 037 (Canadian Firearms Information System - CFIS)
- RCMP PPU 100 (Canadian Firearms Program)
- PS PPU 051 (Assault Style Firearm Compensation Program)
- ESDC PPU 729 (Call Centre Operations)
- ESDC PPU 702 (Processing and Payment Services)
- PSU 942 (Evaluation)
ASFCP for Individuals – Employment and Social Development Canada
Title
Information Sharing Arrangement between Public Safety Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada (ESDC/Service Canada) for the delivery of the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (For Individuals)
Date of entry into force
September 8, 2025
Duration of the Arrangement
This arrangement will expire at the end of all close-out and archiving activities of the ASFCP.
Date of review
Annually
Purpose
To facilitate the collection, use, retention, disclosure, accuracy, correction, update, sharing, storage and disposal of information and Personal Information between Public Safety Canada and ESDC/Service Canada for the purpose of administering and delivering the ASFCP to individuals.
Legal authorities
Subsections 4(1) and 6(1) of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, the Department of Employment and Social Development Act, Order in Council P.C 2005-1637 and the Financial Administration Act.
Personal information being disclosed and collected (including the Personal Information bank title and number)
Name, contact information, date of birth, language preference, preferred method of contact, account status, Possession Acquisition Licence number and expiry date, firearm information, gunsmith deactivation receipt, appointment information and payment information.
Personal Information banks
- RCMP PPU 037 (Canadian Firearms Information System - CFIS)
- RCMP PPU 100 (Canadian Firearms Program)
- PS PPU 051 (Assault Style Firearm Compensation Program)
- ESDC PPU 729 (Call Centre Operations)
- ESDC PPU 702 (Processing and Payment Services)
- PSU 942 (Evaluation)
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