Cannabis was legalized in Canada on October 17, 2018 for recreational and medical purposes. The legalization for recreational purposes was achieved with the passage of Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act by Parliament on 19 June 2018.

Although the Cannabis Act allows for legal use of cannabis, each province and territory is allowed to enact restrictions and regulations regarding sale, distribution, and use of cannabis.

In Ontario, the Cannabis Control Act (CCA) has a zero tolerance for young, novice or commercial drivers. Just like alcohol, you are not allowed to have any cannabis in your system (as detected by a federally approved drug screening device) if you are driving and you:

• are 21 or under
• have a G1, G2, M1 or M2 licence
• are driving a vehicle that requires an A-F driver’s licence or Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR)
• are driving a road-building machine