On April 13, 2017, the future of cannabis in Canada changed. On this date, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-45, known as the Cannabis Act, in the House of Commons. The introduction of Bill C-45 meant that, if passed, cannabis would be legalized on a federal level, removing it from Schedule 2 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Throughout the legislative process, the Government of Canada held a consultation titled “Consultation on Proposed Approach to the Regulation of Cannabis”. The purpose of this consultation period was to “solicit public input and views on a proposed approach” to the regulation of cannabis. Bill C-45 has now made its way through the legislature, and received Royal Assent on June 21, 2018. The Cannabis Act, as many of you may already know, comes into force on October 17. On July 12, the Government of Canada initiated another consultation period and released a second consultation paper related to cannabis. This paper, however, wasn’t to solicit public input and views on cannabis. This consultation, which ended August 13 (link here), is geared towards the cannabis industry itself and focuses on the proposed approach to cannabis cost recovery, to pay for the regulation of legalized cannabis1.
According to the Government of Canada, “cost recovery is based on the principle that the general public should not bear the cost of government activities where private parties gain the main social or economic benefit.” The purpose of the consultation was to:
“propose a set of fees to recover the costs of activities undertaken by Health Canada, and supported by the Canada Border Services Agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Public Safety Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada, to regulate and strictly control access to cannabis.”
The fees proposed by the government would apply to cultivators, processors, nurseries and sellers of cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes. Certain exemptions in the proposal also exist such as for research, industrial hemp, and health & natural health products containing cannabis.
With October 17 quickly approaching, the time to start your application is now! Contact dicentra Cannabis Consulting.
dicentra Cannabis Consulting is committed to keeping you well informed and educated on the Cannabis Act and the cannabis regulatory framework. We are committed to providing you with news, updates and information as the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations come into force on October 17, 2018 and into the future. For any cannabis related questions, please contact us at 1-866-647-3279 or info@dicentra.com.
1Proposed Approach to Cost Recovery for the Regulation of Cannabis
2Consultation Document – Proposed Approach to Cost Recovery for the Regulation of Cannabis