Canada is expected to introduce a raft of new cannabis regulations later this month, according to leaked documents.
According to Stratcann, which has seen the unofficial leaked Orders of Council, new regulations regarding packaging, licencing limits, research and production standards for businesses across the country.
The documents, which have been circulating online since March 05 and are expected to be published in the bi-monthly Gazette II update on March 12, suggest that cannabis products could soon be sold in transparent packaging, enabling customers to view products before purchasing for the first time.
There will also be more flexibility in packaging design, with a broader allowance for multi-packs and additional colours, marking a significant shift from the industry’s previously rigid labelling restrictions.
Additionally, producers can now include multiple barcodes on packaging, and leaflets can be inserted inside containers to provide extra product information.
Elsewhere micro cultivators, processors and nurseries could soon be allowed to expand their production capacities significantly.
Micro cultivators will now be allowed up to 800sq m of canopy space, four times the current limit, while micro processors will also see a jump in production limits, with an annual cap of 2,400 kg, up from 600 kg per year.
Cannabis nurseries, which were previously restricted to 50 square meters of flowering space and 5 kg of dried flower on-site, will now be able to expand to 200 square meters of flowering space and store up to 20 kg of dried flower.
A further update to the rules simplifies cannabis destruction protocols for licensed producers, reducing the requirement to just one witness instead of two.
In another shift, cannabis pollen will officially be recognized under federal regulations, allowing it to be bought and sold for breeding purposes, rather than being limited to internal use by cultivators.
Beyond production changes, regulatory hurdles for non-human and animal cannabis research will be eased, making it simpler for researchers to conduct studies without facing as many compliance restrictions.
Meanwhile, licensed cannabis producers will gain more flexibility in Quality Assurance oversight, allowing them to appoint alternative Quality Assurance Persons when necessary.
