Not all of the firearms entered in the Canadian firearms registry require verification. There is no legal requirement for rifles or shotguns to be verified on first time registration. In order for a firearm to be registered, sufficient identifying information must be provided to allow the firearm to be classified and uniquely identified. Firearms must be verified at time of import into Canada, when being transferred, or when registered in a business inventory. There is a mechanism in place to verify firearms upon future transfer of firearms with the assistance of the verifier's network of approximately 5,000 volunteers, which is supported by various chief firearms officers across the country. Given the foregoing information and the fact that the registration of firearms is an ongoing process, it is not possible to isolate the length of time and costs associated specifically with verification.
In the House of Commons on May 14th, 2003. See this statement in context.