Program directory · Health Canada

Cannabis

Department

Health Canada

Program code

BVH14 (H)

Core responsibility

Health Protection and Promotion

In Departmental Plans

2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan

What it does

Through regulations/legislation and providing programs and services for Canadians, the Cannabis Program supports the Government of Canada in the administration of the Cannabis Act and associated Regulations, which strictly regulate activities with cannabis, including its production, sale, import / export possession and research. The objectives of the Act are to protect the public health and public safety of Canadians, particularly youth, while providing for legal access to cannabis for adults and reducing illicit activities. The federal government oversees the regulation of producers who cultivate and process cannabis as well as standards for products, packaging and labelling, and prohibitions on promotion, that are designed to protect the health and safety of Canadians. Provinces and territories are responsible for determining how cannabis is distributed and sold in their jurisdictions. The Cannabis Program provides policy and regulatory development; licenses cannabis (including hemp) cultivators, processors, producers of drugs containing cannabis, researchers, and analytical laboratories; registers individuals who are authorized to produce a limited amount of cannabis for their own medical purposes; engages with key partners (e.g., provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations, the public health community and other federal partners); and conducts activities related to compliance and enforcement, public education (through both federal campaigns, and Substance Use and Addictions grants and contributions), communications, research, monitoring and surveillance.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.

Significant changes in scope and budget

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

Employees (FTEs)

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.