Industrial Hemp

The cultivation of industrial hemp is now permitted in Canada, under licences and authorizations issued by Health Canada. The passage of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) in 1997 provided the legislative authority to allow the commercial production of hemp in Canada. However, a regulatory regime had to be in place before commercial hemp cultivation became possible. The Industrial Hemp Regulations, which received final approval on March 12, 1998, have now established the necessary regulatory framework.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was involved in developing these regulations, along with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Revenue Canada (now Canada Border Services Agency) and stakeholder groups. Although the regulations governing the cultivation of hemp are administered by Health Canada, legislation administered by the CFIA is also relevant to the cultivation of hemp. This includes the Seeds Act and Regulations, which govern the import, export, certification and grading of seeds for commercial crops, and the Plant Protection Act and Regulations, which govern the movement of plants and plant products into and out of Canada.

Anyone wishing to cultivate industrial hemp has to obtain a licence from Health Canada. Processors, importers and exporters of hemp seed or viable grain (not fibre) also require licences from Health Canada. Seed importers have to register with the CFIA as well, and seed exporters require phytosanitary certificates from the CFIA. With respect to the administration of the Industrial Hemp Regulations, the responsibility of the CFIA is limited to an advisory role in determining the List of Approved Cultivars and conducting inspections of licensed cultivation sites on Health Canada's behalf.

Additional government and industry information can be found at:

• Health Canada - Information for Industrial Hemp Producers
• Health Canada - Industrial Hemp Technical Manual
• Health Canada - List of Approved Cultivars