Canada’s Weed Rules by Province: Know Where It’s Legal to Light Up
Smoking Weed in Public in Canada? These Are the Rules By the Province
For Canadian stoners, there’s never been a better time than now.
In 2018, cannabis became legal in Canada; since then, the cannabis industry has continued to grow.
Cannabis enthusiasts can, therefore, order all kinds of weed products from their favourite cannabis dispensary.
And even better, you can buy weed online so you don’t have to walk to your local cannabis store.
Now, with cannabis being so easily accessible, it’s easy to assume that you can enjoy it anywhere you wish without any limitations.
But this isn’t the case.
Cannabis smokers in Canada have various rules and regulations they must follow, and fortunately, this is what this feature is all about.
We’ll tell you everything you need to know about smoking weed in public.
Read on.
Smoking Weed In Public: Federal vs Provincial Laws
On 17 October 2018, the Cannabis Act became legal.
This gave the federal government the mandate to create a strict national framework to control the sale and consumption of cannabis.
The federal government’s main objectives as far as cannabis legalization are to:
- Prevent minors from accessing cannabis
- Protect public health and safety
- Reduce criminal activity and ease the burden on the criminal justice system
- Allow and control home cultivation for Canadian enthusiasts
As such, the federal government is responsible for legalizing, licensing, and regulating the production and processing of cannabis.
They also set rigorous quality standards and ensure producers and dispensaries sell products whose quality has been evaluated by a third-party lab.
The federal government also establishes limitations and imposes repercussions for criminal activity.
This includes offences such as impaired driving, selling to minors, and exceeding possession limits.
To succeed in these duties, the federal and territorial governments share a responsibility.
This is clearly outlined in the Canadian Constitution Act of 1867, which describes the division of powers between the federal and provincial governments.
While the federal government has laid out the general framework, provinces, and territories are free to implement their specific cannabis laws.
Territories are responsible for:
- Licensing dispensaries and overseeing the distribution of cannabis
- Setting a minimum age for buying, smoking, and possessing cannabis
- Establishing where cannabis consumption is allowed and where it isn’t
- Creating additional rules for home growers
To sum it all up, the federal government simply determines what cannabis products can be sold legally and how they must be produced and packaged.
Provincial territories dictate who sells and distributes cannabis within their borders, where people can smoke, and how much they can grow or possess.
This means that while cannabis is legal all across Canada, you must abide by the specific bylaws of the jurisdiction you reside in.
This is a crucial factor that all stoners must consider when shopping from an online dispensary in Canada.
Public Smoking Laws By Province
Since different territories have unique regulations for their residents, we thought it’d be helpful to outline them province by province.
This way, you’ll always be on the right side of the law when you shop from an online dispensary, especially when you’re travelling to a new area.
Besides telling you whether or not it’s legal to smoke weed in public, we’ll also mention the legal age, possession limits, and cultivation laws.
1. British Columbia
British Columbia has a rich cannabis culture and a deep history of cannabis cultivation.
No wonder that this province has some of the most lenient cannabis laws.
Let’s break it down.
Smoking in public: Anyone over the age of 19 can legally smoke or vape cannabis in areas designated for smoking tobacco.
However, certain areas are off-limits to minimize exposure to weed smoke.
These include:
- K-12 schools, skate parks, and playgrounds
- Shared indoor public spaces
- Shared passenger areas such as train stations, bus stops, and taxi stand
- Provincial, regional, and municipal parks, unless designated otherwise
You also can’t smoke in a vehicle or boat, whether you’re a passenger or the one operating it.
Legal age: You must be at least 19 years old to buy, smoke, possess, or grow recreational cannabis in British Columbia.
That’s why you’ll be asked to provide your ID details when you order weed online.
Possession limits: Adults are allowed to have up to 30 grams of dried cannabis flower in public.
This is also the largest amount of weed you can buy from an online dispensary at one time.
Additionally, you can store up to 1000 grams at a time, with this being the limit for the entire household, not an individual.
Equivalency: The law recognizes that there are various forms of cannabis besides flowers and provides different limits for different products.
For example, 1 gram of dried flower is equivalent to 570 grams of cannabis beverage, 15 grams of edibles, or 5 grams of freshly harvested flower.
Buying: You can order weed online from a BC cannabis store and have it shipped right to your door.
Whatever BC bud you’re looking for, you’ll find it at your favourite cannabis dispensary.
Personal cultivation: Each household can grow a maximum of four cannabis plants, but they must be hidden from public view.
2. Alberta
Here’s a summary of the most important regulations to know if you’re a stoner living in Alberta:
Smoking in Public: If you’re 18 or older, you can smoke or vape cannabis in public spaces already designated as smoking zones for tobacco.
Municipal bylaws and provincial laws prohibit smoking weed in the following areas:
- Within 5 meters of a children’s playground, bicycle park, zoo, outdoor pool, etc
- School grounds and hospital properties
- While driving or as a passenger in any motorized vehicle
That said, some municipalities are imposing strict bylaws.
For instance, the city of Calgary has outlawed smoking or vaping recreational cannabis in any public spaces.
These include alleys, sidewalks, parks, forests, and street furniture.
Always check the municipal laws that apply to the area you’re in.
Legal age: Adults aged 18 or older can buy cannabis from an online weed dispensary.
Possession: When out in public, you can carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis flower, or its equivalent, which is:
- 7.5 grams of a concentrated extract
- 150 grams of fresh cannabis
- 450 grams of edible weed
- 2100 grams of THC liquid
- 17100 grams of cannabis beverages
- 30 seeds
Buying: Like stoners in British Columbia and Ontario, you can shop from any online dispensary in Canada and have your order delivered to your home in Alberta.
When you buy weed online, you enjoy convenience, variety, and privacy.
Growing: Adults in Alberta are allowed to cultivate a maximum of four plants per household.
When you harvest, you should have enough weed to last you several months.
That said, your residence reserves the right to prohibit or allow cannabis cultivation.
3. Ontario
Recreational cannabis laws in Ontario are similar to those in British Columbia.
Here’s what we mean:
Smoking in public: Adults aged 19 years or older are generally allowed to smoke anywhere designated as a tobacco smoking zone.
However, no smoking or vaping is allowed in:
- Schools or 20 meters near them
- Shared spaces in multi-unit buildings, e.g., laundry rooms and gyms
- Indoor workplaces
- Restaurants and bar patios
- Parks, arenas, and pools, unless otherwise designated
- Residential buildings (landlords and housing boards can impose their own rules regarding cannabis consumption on their premises)
Legal age: You can buy, smoke, carry, or grow cannabis if you’re 19 years or older.
Possession limits: You can carry up to 30 grams of dried marijuana buds in public. This is equivalent to:
- 0.25 grams of THC extracts
- 5 grams of fresh flower
- 15 grams of edible weed
- 570 grams of THC beverages
Ontario doesn’t limit how much weed you can store in your home.
Buying weed: You can buy Canadian weed online from a trusted marijuana dispensary and have it shipped to your home in Ontario.
Cultivation limits: If you’re 19 or older, you can grow up to 4 plants per household, but they must be hidden from public view.
Driving while high: It is illegal to smoke weed as a passenger or while operating a motor vehicle.
Driving while high on weed carries serious legal repercussions, including suspended licenses, fines, impoundment, and even possible charges.
4. Quebec
Quebec took a more cautious approach to cannabis legalization and has some of the strictest weed laws in Canada.
We’ll break it down for you:
Legal age: The legal age to buy, smoke, or possess cannabis in Quebec is 21 years.
Smoking in public: Quebec has stringent rules around smoking in public.
Smoking weed in any public place is generally prohibited by law.
These include:
- Streets
- Parks
- Sidewalks
While some spaces may offer exceptions, you can only smoke and vape weed in your home.
Even then, landlords and housing boards can legally prohibit cannabis consumption on their premises.
Possession: Adults older than 21 can legally transport up to 30 grams of dried cannabis or its equivalent.
This translates to:
- 150 grams of fresh cannabis flower
- 450 grams of edible cannabis
- 2100 grams of a liquid concentrate
- 7.5 grams of a concentrated THC extract
- 17100 grams of a cannabis beverage
In Quebec, there must be no more than 150 grams of dried cannabis, or its equivalent, in any private residence.
This is regardless of the number of adults that live in that home.
Personal cultivation: Home cultivation is outlawed in Quebec, a decision the Supreme Court of Canada upheld.
That said, individuals and companies can obtain a cultivation license from Health Canada.
Buying weed in Quebec: If you have a trusted online dispensary in Canada, you can buy weed online and have it shipped to your door.
You could also visit an SQDC retail cannabis store.
5. Atlantic Canada
Also known as the Atlantic provinces, Atlantic Canada is a region in eastern Canada comprising four provinces.
These are the provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
While federal cannabis laws apply in these provinces, each jurisdiction has imposed its own set of regulations.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
New Brunswick
You must be 19 or older to buy, carry, or grow cannabis.
You can carry no more than 30 grams of dried flower, or its equivalent, in public.
There’s no specific limit to how much weed you can store at home.
However, you must take the necessary steps to store it safely, securely, and away from minors.
NB stoners can buy weed online from their favourite cannabis dispensary.
Smoking weed in public in New Brunswick is strictly forbidden.
You’re, however, allowed to smoke in the privacy of your home, backyard, or an occupied campsite.
Your household can grow a maximum of 4 plants.
If grown outdoors, the plants must be secured in a locked enclosure.
It’s illegal to consume marijuana in any form on or in a motorized vehicle.
Driving while impaired is also prohibited, resulting in license suspensions, possible jail time, and substantial penalties.
Nova Scotia
The legal age to buy, use, or smoke cannabis in Nova Scotia is 19 and older.
While you can possess no more than 30 grams of dried cannabis in public, there are no limits on how much you can store in your private residence.
Nonetheless, you must store your weed somewhere your pets and kids can’t access.
Stoners in Nova Scotia can buy weeds online from a mail-order cannabis dispensary.
You can smoke weed in public in Nova Scotia, provided the area has already been designated as a tobacco smoking zone.
The Smoke-free Places Act governs this.
Municipalities could also pass bylaws further restricting smoking weed in public.
Each household in Nova Scotia could grow a minimum of 4 cannabis plants if permitted by the landlord or housing committee.
Newfoundland, Labrador & Prince Edward Island
The legal age is 19 or older.
You can possess up to 30 grams of dried flower in public, or its equivalent, with no specific limit for homes and private residences.
Smoking weed is restricted to private residences.
You must not smoke in any public place, including cannabis stores.
Smoking while in or operating a motorized vehicle is prohibited.
These jurisdictions have a zero-tolerance policy for all new drivers, commercial drivers, and drivers under the age of 22.
Adults aged 19 or older can grow no more than four plants per household.
Want to Buy Weed Online in Canada?
Now that you know the weed laws in your area, you can now confidently buy weed online in Canada.
You can also choose a legal area when you want to smoke weed in public.
And if you’d like to go to a park or explore a hiking trail where smoking is prohibited, it’s not the end of the world.
Our online weed dispensary sells various edible weed gummies.
Edibles are perfect if you’re looking for a discreet way to get high on weed.
You could also order vapes from our weed shop.
Vape pens emit a muted fragrance and flavour, making them easier to enjoy discreetly than pre-rolls and dabs.
Our online dispensaryin Canada sells these high-quality products at the best prices.
If you’re looking for the best cannabis Canada has to offer, you’ll find it at LowPriceBud.
Place an order from our online weed dispensary today!