Notice: Consultation on Potential Amendments to the Cannabis Regulations
Health Canada is considering potential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations that would: 1) streamline and clarify existing requirements; 2) eliminate inefficiencies in the regulations such as duplications between requirements; and 3) reduce administrative and regulatory burdens where possible, while continuing to meet the public health and public safety objectives in the Cannabis Act.
Regulatory amendments would target the following five priority areas:
1. Licensing,
2. Personnel and physical security measures,
3. Production requirements for cannabis products,
4. Packaging and labelling requirements for cannabis products, and
5. Record keeping and reporting for cannabis licence holders.
A Notice of Intent was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on March 25, 2023, which initiated a 60-day public consultation that ends May 24, 2023.
Your feedback will inform Health Canada of the issues being faced related to the Cannabis Regulations four years following cannabis legalization, support a transparent decision-making process, and advance a regulatory framework to maintain a public health and public safety approach to the regulation of cannabis.
This public consultation is separate and distinct from the Government of Canada’s legislative review of the Cannabis Act that is being led by an independent Expert Panel. The objective of the legislative review is to assess the impact of the legislation against the Act’s public health and public safety objectives, including the impacts on young persons, Indigenous persons and communities, and access to cannabis for medical purposes.
We remain committed to ensuring that the interests of Indigenous peoples are considered throughout the implementation of the Cannabis Act and its regulations. We welcome the views of Indigenous peoples with respect to potential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations. The Department will continue to engage and work closely with Indigenous governments, organizations and communities across the country to ensure the specific interests of Indigenous peoples are carefully considered throughout the regulatory process.
Please submit your comments and feedback related to the Notice of Intent to cannabis.consultation@hc-sc.gc.ca, by 11:59 pm EDT on May 24, 2023 when this public engagement period ends.
Any future regulatory proposals based on the input received from this Notice of Intent will be pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part 1 for further consultation before any regulatory amendments are made final.
Regulatory Affairs
Strategic Policy Directorate, Cannabis
Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch
Health Canada