Updates for cannabis and industrial hemp
This page allows you to view the most recent updates for the cannabis and industrial hemp industry.
| Title | Date | Description | Type of licence | Type of cannabis product | Subject |
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| How to determine what is controlled as cannabis under the Cannabis Act | 2025-10-28 | Did you know Health Canada has a Cannabis Status Service? The service is provided to help stakeholders confirm what is controlled as cannabis under the Cannabis Act. The Cannabis Status Service webpage has been published to help stakeholders understand what is controlled as cannabis under the Cannabis Act. It also provides contact information for the Cannabis Status Service. |
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| Notices of Violation: Starrpac Industries Ltd and Southern Stars Inc | 2025-10-14 | Starrpac Industries Ltd. and Southern Stars Inc. failed to fulfill their obligations to provide the Minister with a copy of their 2024 annual report of key investors as required by paragraph 241(7)(a) of the Cannabis Regulations. The delegated official determined the penalty amount to be $5000 for each licence holder. |
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| Cannabis Virtual Learning Series webinar recordings are available on a new platform! | 2025-10-14 | Health Canada hosts cannabis educational webinars as part of a Virtual Learning Series. These webinars, which provide learning opportunities for cannabis licence holders, applicants, and other interested parties, are now available through the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS). Explore the full library of previously recorded webinars and other resources. |
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| Change in licence ownership for cannabis licences | 2025-10-01 | Did you know cannabis licences can't be transferred? If you're a licence holder looking to change ownership of your licence, you may need to submit a request to Health Canada to have your existing licence revoked before you submit a new licence application. Health Canada will provide further instructions based on the information you provide. |
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| Compliance and enforcement report: Cannabis inspection data summary 2024 to 2025 | 2025-09-04 | Health Canada has published the inspection data summary report for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 including the licence holder inspection results. Inspection data also available on the Open Government site. |
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| Consultation on potential amendments to the Cannabis Tracking System Order | 2025-09-02 | Health Canada welcomes feedback on the Consultation on potential amendments to the Cannabis Tracking System Order to support future regulatory changes. This could reduce administrative effort, improve reporting requirements and data accuracy, and maintain regulatory oversight. Participate by emailing your feedback by October 29, 2025. |
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| Cannabis approval by the quality assurance person (QAP) prior to sale | 2025-09-02 | The QAP is responsible for ensuring the quality of each cannabis lot or batch prior to approving it for sale. This includes ensuring all required tests (including pesticide testing) are reviewed and results are assessed, and any applicable documentation is reviewed and verified in accordance with approved standard operating procedures (SOPs). |
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| Service standards for new cannabis licensing applications | 2025-08-19 | New cannabis applications are subject to service standards determined by Health Canada. In the screening stage, a service standard of 30 business days applies. In the following review stage, a service standard of 80 business days applies. These service standards don't include the time spent waiting for you to respond to our information requests. |
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Any | Licence applications |
| Cannabis organizational security plan (OSP) | 2025-08-06 | Applicants and licence holders for cultivation, processing and sales for medical purposes cannabis licences must have an OSP. Applicants must submit their OSP as part of the licensing process. Licence holders must notify Health Canada within 5 days of making any change to it. Health Canada can request a copy at any time. |
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| Notice of Violation: 13126447 Canada Inc (Ghost Drops) | 2025-07-22 | 13126447 Canada Inc. (Ghost Drops) was issued in March 2025, a decision regarding a review of 2 notices of violation relating to contraventions of paragraphs 17(1)(b),(d), and (e) and 21(a) of the Cannabis Act. The delegated official determined that they had committed the two violations identified and determined the penalty amounts to be $125,000 for each violation for a total penalty of $250,000. | Any (all) licence holders |
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| Information integrity in the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS) | 2025-07-22 | Health Canada relies on the information uploaded in the CTLS for individual profiles as well as applicant and licence holder corporate profiles. Users of the CTLS need to ensure this information is kept complete and up-to-date as discrepancies or inconsistencies can result in delays in processing applications and change requests. | Any (all) licence holders | Cannabis tracking and licensing system (CTLS) | |
| Changes to cannabis inspection report response requirements | 2025-07-22 | As of April 1, 2025, licence holders are no longer required to submit a corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan for minor observations in a cannabis inspection report. However, they are still required to develop and implement a CAPA plan for minor observations and are still required to submit a CAPA plan for major and critical observations. | Any (all) licence holders |
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| Cannabis security clearance process | 2025-07-15 | Key site personnel and people with direct control over any partnership, corporation or cooperative require a security clearance. When applying for a security clearance, Health Canada will review your application, perform security checks and conduct a risk assessment based on many factors before issuing a decision. This review process can take a few months or longer depending on the circumstances. |
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| Updated Cannabis tracking system guide and reports tool | 2025-05-05 | Effective April 1, 2025, licence holders are no longer required to report on plant trimmings for whole and vegetative cannabis plants. The unit of measurement for unpackaged seeds has also changed from kg to the count of seeds (whole numbers). These changes are reflected in the monthly reporting guide and the Licence holder cannabis tracking reports tool. |
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| Updated Consumer Information Document | 2025-03-12 | As of March 12, 2025, processing licence holders will no longer be required to provide the Consumer Information Document with every shipment of cannabis product. On April 10, 2025, a revised document will be published that focuses on cannabis for medical purposes, and will be distributed by sale for medical purposes licence holders and individuals in charge of hospitals only. Between March 12 and April 10, 2025, these groups will continue to provide the current document to clients and patients or responsible adults respectively when cannabis is distributed or sold to them. |
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| Updated Cannabis Health Warning Messages | 2025-03-12 | Health Canada has published updates to the Cannabis Health Warning Messages. Licence holders have 12 months to update the health warning messages on their cannabis products. After this transition period, newly produced cannabis products cannot be labelled with the previous messages. Anyone authorized to sell or distribute cannabis may continue to sell or distribute existing products labelled with the previous messages indefinitely. |
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| Summary of changes following the streamlining of regulations | 2025-03-12 | On March 12, 2025, amendments to streamline the Cannabis Regulations came into force. These changes affect both applicants and licence holders. Refer to this summary of changes while we update the web pages. | (Any) all licence holders | N/A |
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| Cannabis Data Gathering Program: Project Report on Dried Cannabis | 2025-03-04 | This Cannabis Data Gathering Program project aimed to establish baseline data on total THC, heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticides and microbial contaminants in legal and illegal dried cannabis available in Canada. The analysis of 100 samples (50 legal and 50 illegal) revealed that illegal dried cannabis generally contains higher levels of contaminants. | (Any) all licence holders |
Dried cannabis |
Analytical testing |
| HC ROEB Cannabis Laboratory has published its method for testing mycotoxins | 2025-03-04 | The Cannabis Laboratory recently published its method for identifying and measuring mycotoxins using advanced liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. | (Any) all licence holders |
Dried cannabis |
Analytical testing |
| Recommended deadline for Annual Summary Report is fast approaching | 2025-03-04 | As stated in the Cannabis adverse reaction reporting: Annual summary report (ASR), the requirement to prepare ASRs begins when the licence holder first sells or distributes a cannabis product in Canada. Licence holders should prepare their ASR on an annual basis within 70 calendar days of the end of the calendar year. As such, the recommended deadline for the preparation of your ASR for 2024 is March 11, 2025. |
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| New publication: Data on cannabis adverse reactions: 2023 annual report | 2025-03-04 | On January 10, 2025, Health Canada published a new data report highlighting data from domestic adverse reaction reports involving cannabis products submitted to the Department in 2023. These data reports allow stakeholders to learn more about Health Canada's vigilance framework for cannabis products, and the nature of the adverse reaction data received by the Department regarding use of cannabis. | (Any) all licence holders |
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| 2025-26 Annual Cannabis Licence Fees Update | 2025-02-18 | Health Canada has published the 2025-26 annual updates to cannabis transactional fees in the Canada Gazette, Part I. Transactional fees, which are adjusted annually on April 1, as per the Cannabis Fees Order, related to application screening, security clearances and import and export permits, will be increasing by 2.7%, in line with Statistics Canada's 2024 Consumer Price Index. |
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| Updated reporting guidance for federal licence holders and provincial/territorial reporting authorities | 2025-2-11 | Health Canada has recently updated its reporting guides. The new guides contain information on how to use certain new features that have been applied to the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS). |
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| Cannabis Inspection Data Questionnaire | 2025-02-04 | Health Canada is dedicated to advancing transparency and fostering a comprehensive understanding of the cannabis inspection data stakeholders wish to access. In addition to the annual Compliance & Enforcement Report—Cannabis Inspection Data Summary, Health Canada has recently enhanced its commitment to openness by publishing semi-annual inspection data on the Open Government Portal. This initiative seeks to increase transparency and accessibility, enabling data professionals, media, and other interested stakeholders who wish to conduct their own analysis access to cannabis inspection data. The success of this effort hinges on aligning published data with the specific needs of its users. Input from diverse stakeholders, including representatives from the cannabis industry, media, academia, and the general public, is essential to identifying the most relevant and valuable data for publication. To facilitate this process, the Cannabis Program in Cannabis, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Directorate (CTCSD) at Health Canada has developed a comprehensive questionnaire designed to collect stakeholder feedback. The insights gathered will guide the refinement and enhancement of the data published, ensuring it effectively meets the requirements of its intended audiences. For additional details or inquiries, please contact: Cannabis Program |
Any | inspections | |
| Final consequential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations related to food additives | 2024-12-24 | As a follow-up to the consultation on the proposal to modernize the regulatory frameworks for food compositional standards, microbiological criteria, methods of analysis and food additives, Health Canada published the final amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations, including consequential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations related to food additives. These amendments come into effect immediately. | (Any) all licence holders | Edibles | Cannabis Regulations |
| Sending notices to local authorities | 2024-12-10 | Do you own a licence for cultivation, processing or medical sales with possession? Has your licence been issued, amended, suspended, reinstated or revoked in the last 30 days? If you answered yes, then you need to notify your local and/or provincial authorities in writing and provide a copy to Health Canada within 30 days. For more information, visit the Manage your cannabis licence guide. |
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| Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS) User Guide now available online | 2024-11-26 | Users of the CTLS can now access the user guide online. It includes system information on getting started, submitting licence and permit applications, making licence changes and submitting reports on licensed activity. It should be used alongside the existing web pages for application and licence management. | N/A | Cannabis tracking and licensing system (CTLS) | |
| Starting material for cultivation licences | 2024-11-13 | New cultivation and nursery licence applicants can receive starting material from various sources including federal licence holders and, in exceptional cases, unregulated sources. Depending on your source, a declaration may need to be submitted. |
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N/A | Licence applications |
| New guidance available on annual summary reports | 2024-11-05 | Health Canada recently published guidance on annual summary reports. This guidance instructs licence holders regulated under the Cannabis Act on how to apply paragraph 248.1 (1) (b) of the Cannabis Regulations. If you have any questions about this document, contact cannabis_oss-cannabis_bss@hc-sc.gc.ca. |
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| Licence renewal periods | 2024-10-01 | Licences can be renewed for up to a 5-year validity period. Your renewal term depends on several factors including the submission of accurate documentation, past site inspection ratings, and timely payment of annual regulatory fee (ARF) invoices. |
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N/A | Licence applications, amendments and renewals |
| Compliance and enforcement report: Cannabis inspection data summary 2023 to 2024 | 2024-10-01 | Health Canada has published the inspection data summary report for fiscal year 2023 to 2024 including the licence holder inspection results. | (Any) all licence holders | Any |
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| Renewing your cannabis licence | 2024-09-17 | To renew your licence, you need to submit your renewal application through the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS) at least 4 months before your licence expires. Only requests received through the CTLS will be processed. |
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| Update to "Classification of edible cannabis" Compliance Promotion Statement | 2024-09-03 | In March 2023, Health Canada published a Compliance Promotion Statement on the classification of edible cannabis. Health Canada wishes to inform Licence Holders that the statement has been updated to include the "Policy on the Classification for Ingestible Cannabis Products," previously shared with Licence Holders in December 2023. Health Canada continually reviews policies and guidance and will inform licence holders of any future changes.  | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Angelo, Vendetta and Citrico were added to the List of Approved Cultivars for the 2024 growing season | 2024-09-03 | The 2024 List of Approved Cultivars (LOAC) is now available on the Health Canada website. The 2024 LOAC includes the addition of Angelo, Vendetta and Citrico as new cultivars. The next submission deadline is September 1, 2024. However, Licence Holders can submit varieties at any time of the year. | Industrial hemp licence | Hemp | Industrial Hemp Regulations |
| Amendments to section 10 of the Cannabis Fees Order | 2024-09-03 | On August 28, 2024, Health Canada published amendments to section 10 of the Cannabis Fees Order. The amendments address a technical issue that has resulted in some unintentional disqualifications from the exemption in the exit year and simplify the process of receiving an exemption to the annual regulatory fee for licence holders who sell cannabis exclusively for medical purposes. | Sale for medical purposes licence | Any |
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| Updates to information for new cannabis licence holders | 2024-09-03 | Health Canada has updated the Information for new cannabis licence holders web page for cultivation, processing or sale for medical purposes licences. The pages now include important reminders for new licence holders as well as links to the newly published Reporting requirements for cannabis and industrial hemp licences web page. |
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| Update to the cannabis licensing application web pages | 2024-08-09 | Health Canada has updated the cannabis licensing application web pages. The pages have been updated to help clarify application requirements, including changes to the submission requirements for physical security measures announced by Health Canada in January 2024. |
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| Changes to non-therapeutic research on cannabis (NTRC) application requirements | 2024-08-07 | Effective immediately, Health Canada will no longer require Cannabis Information Forms (CIFs) to be submitted for NTRC Category 1 studies. CIFs will continue to be required for NTRC Category 2 and 3 studies. The Cannabis licensing application: research licence web pages will be updated to reflect this change. | Research licence |
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| Updates to cannabis licensing management web pages | 2024-08-07 | Health Canada is releasing updates to the Manage your cannabis licence web pages. The pages have been updated using plain language to provide clarifications on submission requirements for licence holders making changes to their licences. |
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| New contact information webpage for Health Canada | 2024-07-23 | Health Canada is releasing a new web page with contact information for cannabis and industrial hemp licence holders, applicants and industry. You can consult this page to find the right contact for cannabis- and hemp-related questions. |
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| Reminder: Non-therapeutic research on cannabis (NTRC) transition period | 2024-07-23 | Research licence holders authorized to conduct activities with human participants must transition to the NTRC framework by December 2, 2024. As such, you must submit a new research licence application in the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS) with "NTRC" selected as the research type without further delay to ensure the continuity of your research. | Research licence |
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| Regulatory consultation on proposed streamlining of requirements for cannabis | 2024-06-11 | Health Canada is seeking feedback on the regulatory proposal to streamline the Cannabis Regulations, following the Notice of Intent published in Spring 2023. The amendments are intended to reduce regulatory burden on the cannabis industry while still addressing public health and public safety risks. The consultation will be open for input until July 8, 2024. | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Proposed amendments to the Cannabis Regulations for drugs containing cannabis and test kits containing cannabis | 2024-06-11 | Health Canada has published proposed Controlled Substances Regulations to modernize the regulations under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This includes proposed amendments to the Cannabis Regulations related to drugs containing cannabis and test kits containing cannabis. You are invited to participate in a 60-day online public comment period between June 1 and July 31, 2024. | (Any) all licence holders | Any |
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| Follow Health Canada's Virtual Learning Series | 2024-05-28 | Health Canada hosts cannabis educational webinars as part of a Virtual Learning Series. The sessions provide learning opportunities for cannabis licence holders, applicants and other interested parties on specific topics. Please follow us on Eventbrite to stay up to date and be notified of upcoming events | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Changes to labelling requirements for cannabis topicals | 2024-04-30 | On April 24, 2024, Health Canada published amendments to modernize the Cosmetic Regulations which include amendments to the Cannabis Regulations related to cosmetic ingredient labelling requirements for cannabis topical products. Section 8 of the Packaging and labelling guide for cannabis products has been updated to reflect this change and will come into force on October 9, 2024. | (Any) all licence holders | Topicals |
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| New guide on importing and exporting cannabis | 2024-03-19 | This document provides guidance to cannabis licence holders on how to apply for an import or export permit in the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS) and manage their permit. Licence holders will find information on how to obtain an import or export permit, how to manage a permit, how to request a permit change, reporting requirements and permit application refusals. |
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Any | Import or export permits |
| Program update: Physical security measures guide for cannabis web pages | 2024-03-05 | Health Canada is releasing updated web pages on physical security measures for all cannabis licences. These pages have been updated to help clarify the physical security requirements and provide principles and practices for how licence holders and applicants can comply. All previous versions of the guide should no longer be used. |
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| 2024 to 2025 Annual cannabis licence fees update | 2024-02-20 | Health Canada has published the 2024 to 2025 annual updates to cannabis transactional fees in the Canada Gazette, Part I. Transactional fees for fees related to application screening, security clearances and import and export permits are adjusted annually on April 1, as per the Cannabis Fees Order. They will be increasing by 4.4%, in line with Statistics Canada's 2023 Consumer Price Index. |
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| Now available: Reporting requirements for cannabis and industrial hemp licences | 2024-02-20 | Health Canada is launching a new page which provides a summary of reporting requirements for cannabis and industrial hemp licences holders. The page lists the reports that you may need to submit throughout the year, along with key information for each. This includes a description, links to associated forms, contact information and deadlines. | (Any) all licence holders | Any |
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| Changes to submission requirements for cultivation, processing and sale for medical purposes licences | 2024-01-23 | Health Canada recognizes the need to reduce burden on industry while balancing program improvements and the protection of the health and safety of Canadians. Following a review of general industry compliance and risk related to physical security, there'll be reductions to the submission requirements as of January 23, 2024. These changes will impact applicants when applying for a licence, and licence holders when requesting changes to their licence. |
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| Rak is added to the List of Approved Cultivars for the 2024 growing season | 2024-01-23 | The 2024 List of Approved Cultivars (LOAC) is now available on the Health Canada website. The 2024 LOAC includes the addition of Rak as a new cultivar. The next submission deadline is February 1, 2024. However, Licence Holders can submit varieties at any time of the year. | Industrial hemp licence | Hemp | Industrial Hemp Regulations |
| Updates to cannabis key investor information | 2024-01-09 | The Cannabis key investors: Cultivation, processing and sale for medical purposes licences guidance web page, attestation and reporting form have been updated. The updates include clearer wording, added examples and improvements to the existing reporting form. There are no changes to the requirements and reports are still due January 31, 2024. |
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any | Key investors |
| Reporting requirements for serious adverse reactions during non-therapeutic research with cannabis | 2023-12-05 | Regulatory obligations and reporting instructions for licence holders conducting non-therapeutic research with cannabis (NTRC) for reporting serious adverse reactions during NTRC studies. | Research licence |
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| Guidance on cannabis products with intoxicating cannabinoids other than delta-9-THC | 2023-12-05 | Some licensed producers are making cannabis products deliberately made with intoxicating cannabinoids other than delta-9-THC to get around important public health and public safety controls. As such, Health Canada recommends that licence holders apply the controls in this guidance to these cannabis products. Health Canada will continue to monitor the situation and update the guidance accordingly. | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Making changes to a quality assurance person (QAP) | 2023-11-28 | When adding or replacing a quality assurance person (QAP) or alternate QAP, provide all required information including the completed Qualifications of the proposed QAP or alternate QAP for a processing licence form and a copy of the proposed QAP or alternate's resume. Learn more about submitting a QAP change request. |
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| Selling cannabis with your licence | 2023-11-28 | Most cannabis licences authorize sales to other licences holders. Consult the Types of cannabis and industrial hemp licences web page to see to whom you can sell your bulk cannabis and cannabis products based on your licence type. |
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| Consequential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations related to food additives | 2023-11-06 | Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are seeking feedback on the regulatory proposal to modernize the regulatory frameworks for food compositional standards, microbiological criteria, methods of analysis and food additives. This proposal also includes consequential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations related to food additives. | (Any) all licence holders | Edibles |
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| Updates to application requirements for cannabis research licences | 2023-10-31 | The Cannabis licensing application: Research licence web pages have been updated. This includes updates to information on non-therapeutic research on cannabis (NTRC) including application submission and physical security requirements for institution-wide research licences. Do not use any previous versions of these pages. | Research licence |
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| Renewing your cannabis licence: How, when and what to submit | 2023-10-31 | To renew your cannabis licence, you need to submit your application within 4 months of your licence expiry date. All your information must be up to date including your organizational security plan, security clearances and a compliant key investor report submitted during the most recent reporting period (January). |
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| Program update: Changes to the process of adding sale authorization of cannabis products to processing licences | 2023-10-18 | Streamlining the assessment of authorized activity change requests for the sale of cannabis extracts, edibles and topicals | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Industry guidance: Preventive control plan for cannabis extracts and edible cannabis | 2023-09-20 | Notice to the cannabis industry on the publication of guidance for the development, implementation and maintenance of preventive control plans. |
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| Updating your licence in the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System | 2023-09-20 | You are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information about your licence and site in the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System. Your records in the system must reflect your current staff and facility, which includes information on your site personnel, directors and officers, and physical security measures. |
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| Now available: Summary report for the 2021-2022 review of the Cannabis Cost Recovery Framework | 2023-08-31 | In 2021-2022, Health Canada conducted a review of the Cannabis Cost Recovery Framework to better understand the impact of fees charged to licence holders in the legal cannabis industry. This was to assess the progress made towards key policy objectives and towards full cost recovery. We're reaching out to inform you that the summary report for the 2021-2022 Review of the Cannabis Cost Recovery Framework is now available online. |
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Fees | |
| COVID-19 update: Cannabis licence holders | 2023-05-04 | Health Canada adjusted its administration and enforcement priorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide greater flexibility to cannabis licence holders to operate. This update was emailed to cannabis licence holders on May 4, 2023. |
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| COVID-19 update: Industrial Hemp Licence Holders | 2023-05-04 | Health Canada adjusted its administration and enforcement priorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide greater flexibility to industrial hemp licence holders to operate. This update was emailed to industrial hemp licence holders on May 4, 2023. | Industrial hemp licence | Hemp |
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| Online course for Licence Holders: Cannabis Act and Regulations - Understanding Compliance and Enforcement | 2023-08-24 | Health Canada announces the launch of the Cannabis Act and Regulations - Understanding Compliance and Enforcement online training course. This self-paced course helps federal cannabis licence holders understand their obligations under the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations. | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Expanding your site after receiving your licence | 2023-07-28 | You can get a licence for a modest-sized site and scale up later. Include only a portion of the areas within your site perimeter on your initial licence application and add new areas to your licensed site later. Learn more about seeking approval for changes to your site after licensing. |
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Any | Physical security measures Licence amendments Licence applications |
| Changes to GCKey Login will affect CTLS users | 2023-07-28 | The Government of Canada will be implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) for their GCKey service. Beginning July 31, 2023, users of CTLS who sign-in using their GCKey credentials will be asked to set up 2FA before continuing. Those who use a sign-in partner will not be impacted. Questions regarding this change can be directed to the GCKey service at 1-855-438-1102. | (Any) all licence holders | Any | Cannabis tracking and licensing system (CTLS) |
| Cannabis data gathering program | 2023-07-13 | Health Canada is announcing the implementation of a data gathering program that will allow the department to proactively collect information on the legal and illicit cannabis markets in Canada, thereby strengthening its ability to provide Canadians with the information they need to make informed decisions and minimize the health and safety risks associated with cannabis consumption. | (Any) all licence holders |
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| Quality assurance persons (QAP) for processing licences | 2023-06-28 | The quality assurance person (QAP) may assign quality assurance duties to others on-site to address risks (for example: a quality assurance team) if they work remotely or part-time. However, the QAP remains responsible for the quality of the cannabis produced on site and investigating complaints. Use the mandatory form to add or remove a QAP or alternate QAPs. | Standard processing licence, Micro-processing licence | Any |
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| Update: Data on commercial cannabis licence applications and licences web page | 2023-08-30 | The Data on commercial cannabis licence applications and licences web page has been updated. This update reflects Health Canada's data as of June 30th, 2023 on commercial cannabis licence applications received and licences issued, broken down by province or territory and licence category. |
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| Cannabis fees order: Compliance and enforcement actions | 2023-06-07 | Please refer to the update on the Cannabis Fees Order on what licence holders must do and consequences of not paying fees on time. The Cannabis Fees Order guide has also been updated and is available through this update page. Key updates include additional operational guidance, expanded information on commonly requested topics, clearer plain language explanations of the Cannabis Fees Order, and information on how to pay transactional fees by credit card. |
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| List of Approved Cultivars for the 2023 growing season: Chola, CNAP1HOH and Jurassic added | 2023-06-07 | The 2023 List of Approved Cultivars (LOAC) is now available on Health Canada's website. The 2023 LOAC includes the addition of the new Chola, CNAP1HOH and Jurassic cultivars. The next submission deadline is September 1, 2023. However, licence holders can submit varieties any time of the year. In addition, please note that CBF1 was added to the list of cultivars that are under observation. |
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Hemp | Industrial Hemp Regulations |
| Changes to the cannabis licensing process: Cannabis research and testing amendments to the Cannabis Regulations | 2022-12-09 | As of December 2, 2022, amendments to the Cannabis Regulations came into force. The amendments included the implementation of the risk-based non-therapeutic research on cannabis framework, changes to the required information for Head of Laboratory and increased activities regarding reference standards and test kits. As such, Health Canada has implemented a new licensing process for researchers conducting non-therapeutic research on cannabis and increased activities for testing. The implementation includes new and updated guidance web pages and changes to the CTLS. |
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| Publication of Health Canada's Guide on reporting of loss or theft of cannabis | 2020-05-25 | Health Canada's guide on "Reporting of loss or theft of cannabis" is available as of May 2020. A new online fillable form has also been published. The guide was developed to provide information to regulated parties and exemptees in meeting the regulatory requirements for reporting losses or thefts of cannabis. | Micro-cultivation licence Nursery licence Standard cultivation licence
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| Operational changes to cannabis program requirements | 2020-08-24 | Health Canada has updated its approach regarding the use of foliar sprays and the use of modified atmosphere packaging in final cannabis products. |
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| Heavy metal and microbial testing limits for dried cannabis intended for smoking or vaping | 2020-12-30 | Health Canada clarifies its expectations about the selection of appropriate tolerance limits for heavy metal and microbial contaminants in dried cannabis. |
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| Inhalable cannabis extract products: phytol | 2021-01-15 | Health Canada provides information regarding cannabis vaping and other inhalable products containing phytol. This includes a discussion of the results and limitations of a 2020 study where rats were exposed to high levels of aerosolised phytol. In addition, this communication outlines Health Canada's requests for licence holders regarding the safety of phytol and any plans to reformulate products containing phytol. |
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| Important cannabis licence holders update | 2021-08-10 | This communication reminds federal licence holders of the requirements in the Cannabis Act and its regulations about displaying THC and CBD content on a dried cannabis product label, and about the definitions of dried cannabis and cannabis extract in regards to kief, hashish and other products produced by mechanical processes. |
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| Program Update: Fingerprinting process for security clearance applications | 2022-09-29 | Health Canada is making changes to the security clearance application process. Effective September 29, 2022, security clearance applicants, living in Canada or abroad, can now have their certified criminal record check sent to them directly. | All federal license holders | Security clearances | Security clearances |
| New Import-Export Permit application process in CTLS effective May 16 | 2022-05-13 | Health Canada is announcing changes to the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS). As of May 16, 2022, licence holders are required to submit new import and export permit applications, permit change requests, and endorsements through the CTLS. | All federal license holders |
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Import or export permits |
| Program update: Changes to authorizations to sell dried and fresh cannabis products | 2022-03-31 | Health Canada is announcing the following program change. As of April 19, 2022, Health Canada will begin granting the authorization to sell dried and fresh cannabis products to all micro and standard processing licence holders during the initial licensing process, without the need to submit a sales amendment application. | All federal license holders |
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Licence application amendment, and renewals |