Overview of the licence application process: Cannabis research licences

View printable version of the checklist (PDF).

Section 1:  Before you apply

• Determine if you require a research licence
• Determine your research licence model
  • Single (one protocol, one site or multiple sites)
  • Multiple (more than one protocol, one site)
    • Not applicable to non-therapeutic research on cannabis (NTRC)
  • Institution-wide (one institution, one site)
• Familiarize yourself with the legislation
• Know what business supports apply to you
• Self-identify as an Indigenous affiliated applicant. If so, you may want to contact the Navigator services at navig@hc-sc.gc.ca.
• Prepare your site
• Identify people
  • All identified people need to create their own CTLS account and give you their CTLS account ID

Section 2:  Information to prepare

1. For an individual applicant
   • Copy of a government-issued photo ID
2. For corporation, cooperatives or partnerships
   • Corporate organizational chart
   • If you're a corporation: copy of your certificate of incorporation, amalgamation or amendment
   • If you're a cooperative or a partnership: Copy of your business name registration or partnership agreement
3. Academic institution or research centre
   • Organizational chart
4. Site details
   • All research licences to conduct activities excluding those that authorize activities in relation to non-therapeutic research on cannabis (NTRC):
     • Research protocol
   • All institution-wide research licences:
     • Research project administration framework for institutions
   • Clinical trials:
     • No objection letter (If available. Not required for the application submission)
   • In vivo (animal) studies:
     • Experimental studies certificate (If available. Not required for the application submission)
   • Research licences that authorize activities in relation to non-therapeutic research on cannabis (NTRC):
     • All risk categories:
       • Application form
       • Cannabis information form (Required for all categories. For Category 1 studies, if not available at the time of licence application submission, this may be submitted after licence issuance)
     • Category 1 only:
       • Abridged protocol
     • Category 2 and 3:
       • Full protocol
       • Cannabis research and evidence dossier
       • If obtained before licence application submission, a copy of the Research ethics board, Institutional review board or Independent ethics committee letter of approval or certificate of ethics review
     • Category 3 only:
       • Informed consent form
5. Physical security
   • Site plan
   • Description of physical security
   • Physical security measures framework for institutions
   • Institution-wide site attestation
6. Identified people
   • Licence holder as an individual
   • Responsible person ID
   • Alternate responsible person ID, if applicable
7. Record keeping
   • Record keeping attestation
   • Institution-wide responsible person attestation

Section 3: Create a licence application

• Create an account in the CTLS, if you don't already have one
• If you're applying as a part of a corporation, a cooperative, or a partnership, create a corporate profile, if you don't already have one
• Create a new licence application in the CTLS

Section 4: Submit your information in the CTLS

• Submit your application