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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, | 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 | 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 | 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 cant 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 | 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 | 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 Corporations 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 employers 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. Société Québécoise 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 | 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 drivers 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 | 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 drivers 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 thats 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 |
