Toronto Police say officers collected more than 2,700 guns as part of the three-week Gun Buyback Program, marking the largest number of firearms collected through this type of program in the city's history.
From April 26 through to May 17, police collected over 1,900 long guns and more than 800 handguns to be destroyed, with compensation amounting to $200 and $350 respectively for those in possession of the weapons.
"We are pleased with the participation of Torontonians taking steps to safely dispose of unwanted guns in their homes," Police Chief Mark Saunders said in a release put out early Saturday morning. "These guns can present a potential danger if they fall into the wrong hands."
Mayor John Tory was also pleased with the results, saying that every gun surrendered "is one less gun in our community and one less gun potentially available to people who want to cause problems in our city."
The gun buyback program was established following Toronto City Council's adoption of the Immediate Steps to Address Gun Violence report, released in July 2018. The city funded the program with unanimous approval from council.
Police came to the homes of those who wished to turn over their weapons, who were told they would not face any charges for possessing or unsafely storing a firearm.