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Recreational Cannabis Legalization Laws in Each Jurisdiction

CANNABIS LEGALIZATION BY PROVINCE

Jurisdiction LEGALIZATION BILL(S) STATUS KEY PROVISIONS
Federal

 

Bill C-45 Still tied up in Senate i. Amends Non-smokers’ Health Act to ban smoking and vaping in federally regulated places; ii. Govt. authority to adopt regulations on cannabis use in workplace; iii. Higher penalties for drug offences; iv. Govt. power to inspect and issue tickets for violations. (Act respecting cannabis and amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts)
Alberta

 

Bill 26,

Bill 29,

Bill 6

Royal Assent a. Bill 26: i. Modifies Gaming & Liquor laws to provide govt. oversight of recreational cannabis cultivation and sales; and ii. Bans smoking or vaping in any workplaces where smoking is currently banned under the Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act; b. Bill 29 amends Traffic Safety Act to for cannabis-impaired driving: i. New rules for appealing suspended licences of cannabis-impaired drivers; ii. Penalties for drivers found to be over federal limits for cannabis; iii. New rules for drug testing and confiscation of licences by peace officers; and iv. Rules for use of drug screening equipment to test drivers; and c. Bill 6: i. Bans retailers of recreational cannabis from suggesting that their product is medicinal or therapeutic; and ii. Increases maximum Gaming & Liquor Act fine from $200K to $1 million
BC

 

Bill 30

Bill 31

Royal Assent a. Bill 30: i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit of 30 grams dried and 4 plants per household; iii. No household growing (exception: OK to grow up to 4 plants for medical cannabis); iv. Ban on cannabis smoking and vaping in public places; v. Ban on smoking and vaping in and near entry to enclosed workplaces; vi. Liability of site owner and/or employer for vaping/smoking violations at site or workplace; vii. Ban on smoking and vaping in boats and vehicles; viii. Ban on operating boats and vehicles (including while not in motion) containing cannabis or while cannabis is being consumed; ix. Authority of local municipalities to impose further smoking/vaping bans; x. New 90-day administrative driving prohibition for drug-affected driving; xi. Expansion of current zero-tolerance restrictions for alcohol for drivers in Graduated Licensing Program to THC; and b. Bill 31: i. Govt. to engage in wholesale distribution of recreational cannabis via BC Liquor Distribution Branch; and ii. Retail distribution to be both private and public
Manitoba

 

Bill 25

Bill 26

Bill 11

Royal Assent a. Bill 11: i. Legal age 19; ii. Bans household cultivation; iii. Creates hybrid public- and private sector recreational cannabis retail and distribution system; and iv. Gives municipalities right to hold plebiscite on banning local consumption; b. Bill 25: i. Extends Non-Smokers Health Protection Act cigarette smoking ban in enclosed public places, including workplaces, to cannabis smoking and vaping; ii. Bans consumption in motor vehicles on a highway; and iii. Implements 24-hour roadside suspension if officer has reasonable grounds to believe person can’t safely operate vehicle due to being under influence of a drug; and c. Bill 26: Strict new penalties for cannabis-impaired driving
New Brunswick Bill 16

Bill 17

Bill 18

Bill 19

Bill 20

Royal Assent a. Bill 16: i. Legal age 19; ii. Allows household cultivation; iii. Bans cannabis consumption in any place where smoking is currently banned by Smoke-Free Places Act; and iv. Bans consumption in vehicle; b. Bill 17: Establishes new Crown Corp. to oversee production, distribution and sale of recreational cannabis; c. Bill 18: Creates public fund to promote awareness of health and safety cannabis use; d. Bill 19: Creates strict new penalties for cannabis-impaired driving; and e. Bill 20: Authorizes New Brunswick Liquor Corporation to set up network of 20 strictly regulated retail cannabis stores
Newfoundland & Labrador

 

Bill 20

Bill 21

Bill 22

Bill 23

Royal Assent a. Bill 20: i. Creates licensing structure; and ii. Sets restrictions on sale, purchase, consumption, transportation, advertising and promotion of cannabis; b. Bill 21: Extends Liquor Corporation’s regulatory authority to legalized recreational cannabis; c. Bill 22: Extends Smoke-Free Environment Act, 2005 restrictions on indoor smoking to e-cigarettes and smoking/vaping of cannabis, including employer’s right to establish designated smoking rooms for such uses; d. Bill 23: Amends Highway Traffic Act to: i. Create new penalty of licence suspensions for driving over legal limit for drugs/alcohol; and ii. Gives govt. authority to make regulations providing for impounding vehicles of drivers over the legal limits; and e. Other policy principles: i. Legal age 19; ii. Cannabis use limited to private residences; and iii. Cannabis to be sold by private retailers

 

Nova Scotia

 

Bill 108 Proclaimed effective i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit 30 grams dried; iii. Recreational cannabis to be sold exclusively by Nova Scotia Liquor Corp.; iv. Limits consumption to private residences; v. Provides for regulations extending current tobacco second hand smoke protections under Smoke-free Places Act to cannabis, including indoor workplaces and vehicles; vi. Gives landlords right to revise leases to add restrictions on cannabis use and cultivation; and vii. Calls for new penalties for cannabis-impaired driving
Ontario

 

Bill 174 Royal Assent i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit 30 grams dried; iii. Bans smoking and vaping in any place where tobacco smoking is banned under Smoke-Free Ontario Act, including enclosed workplaces and vehicles; iv. Requires employers to take specific actions to enforce smoking/vaping ban; v. New penalties for cannabis-impaired driving; and vi. Creates new provincial retailer overseen by Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to ensure safe distribution via stand-alone stores and online order service
Prince Edward Island

 

Bill 29 Second Reading i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit 30 grams; iii. Personal cultivation limit of 4 plants per household; iv. Limits use of recreational cannabis to private residences; v. Extends Smoke-free Places Act tobacco restrictions, including for workplaces and vehicles, to cannabis smoking/vaping; vi. Strict new penalties for cannabis-impaired driving, including stronger roadside suspension and new summary offence for impaired driving with a minor; vii. Recreational cannabis to be sold in 4 government-owned retail locations and e-commerce platform; and viii. Cannabis to be supplied by 3 contracted suppliers
Quebec

 

Bill 157 Second Passage Sitting i. Legal age 18; ii. Cannabis allowed only where smoking allowed under current law; iii. Strict new penalties for cannabis-impaired driving; iv. Soci‚t‚ Qu‚b‚coise du Cannabis (SQC) to buy cannabis from a producer and deal with transportation and storage of the product; and v. Sales to be allowed at 15 stores around province and online
Saskatchewan

 

Bill 121

Bill 122

Bill 112

Royal Assent a. Bill 121: i. a. Legal age 19; ii. Personal cultivation limit of 4 plants per household; iii. Bans smoking/vaping in public, private and “other prescribed places,” including workplaces where tobacco smoking is currently banned; iv. Bans consumption or possession in vehicles; and v. Allows for retail sales by licensed dispensaries; b. Bill 122: Gives Liquor & Gaming Authority power to regulate recreational cannabis; and c. Bill 112: Creates new administrative penalties for cannabis-impaired driving, including immediate driver’s licence suspension and vehicle seizure upon being charged
Northwest Territories Bill 6

 

Royal Assent i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit 30 grams dried; iii. Ban on public smoking to protect third parties from second hand smoke; iv. Cannabis banned in any place where tobacco is banned; v. Authority of local governments to adopt stricter bans within their boundaries; vi. New penalties for cannabis-impaired driving; and vii. WSCC to review OHS laws and hold consultations with employers and labour groups on needed cannabis-related changes
Nunavut Bill 7

Bill 3

Second Reading a. Bill 7: i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit 30 grams dried; iii. Ban on public smoking to protect third parties from second hand smoke iv. Recreational cannabis to be regulated and sold by Liquor and Cannabis Commission; and v. WSCC to review OHS laws and hold consultations with employers and labour groups on needed cannabis-related changes; and b. Bill 3: i. Bans cannabis use in vehicles; ii. New penalties for cannabis-impaired driving, including driver’s licence suspensions; and iii. Extends the Tobacco Control Act (now called the Tobacco Control and Smoke-Free Places Act) tobacco use restrictions to e-cigarettes and recreational cannabis
Yukon

 

Bill 15 Royal Assent i. Legal age 19; ii. Possession limit 30 grams dried; iii. Personal cultivation limit of 4 plants per household; iv. Consumption allowed only in privately-owned dwelling houses or adjoining property; v. Bans consumption in common areas of hotels, motels and apartment buildings and within individual units of certain condos; vi. Bans possession in vehicles unless kept in a closed container that’s inaccessible to all people in vehicle; vii. Bans public intoxication; viii. Yukon Liquor Corporation to regulate distribution; and ix. Cannabis Licensing Board to issue retail licences