Pot is now legal in Ontario. Here's what you need to know

Everything you need to know about legalized pot and what’s to come in Ontario

Cbc.ca
October 17, 2018

It's legalization day for recreational use of cannabis. If you are 19 years of age or older, you can now buy, consume and grow recreational marijuana in Ontario. You can also share up to 30 grams of pot among adults over 19.

While buying edibles remains illegal for another year, you can make marijuana food and drinks at home.

But you are only limited to carrying up to 30 grams of dried cannabis in public.

Residents are also limited to growing a maximum of four plants per household at any given time.

According to the Cannabis Act, which remains in force until the Doug Ford government passes the Cannabis Statute Law Amendment Act, no one is allowed to smoke cannabis in a public place, a workplace, or a vehicle or a boat.

In August, the provincial government announced consumption rules would match the rules around smoking tobacco.

The PC government plans to bring the Cannabis Act amendments (Bill 36) to a final vote (third reading) Wednesday afternoon, unnamed officials told CBC Toronto.

If passed, Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell will be asked to proclaim it into law immediately, officials said.

Under the current law, you can smoke cannabis in a private residence. Landlords and condo boards, however, have the authority to restrict or ban cannabis smoking.

Ontario is changing the rules around smoking pot to match, for the most part, the rules around smoking tobacco. (Elaine Thompson/Associated Press)
Under proposed legislation, you could smoke and vape cannabis at the following places:

• Private residences.
• Many outdoor public places.
• Designated guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns.
• Residential vehicles and boats.
• Scientific research and testing facilities.
• Controlled areas in long-term care homes, certain retirement homes, residential hospices, provincially-funded supportive housing, designated psychiatric facilities or veterans facilities.

Under proposed legislation, you would not be allowed to smoke cannabis in the following places:

• Indoor common areas in condos, apartment buildings and university/college residences.
• Enclosed public places and enclosed work places.
• Non-designated guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns.
• Schools and places where children gather.
• On school grounds.
• All public areas within 20 metres of these grounds.
• On children's playgrounds and public areas within 20 metres of playgrounds.
• in child care centres, or where an early years program is provided
• In places where home child care is provided --even if children aren't present
• Hospitals, hospices, care homes and other facilities.

Also, you would not be able to smoke or vape cannabis:

• Within nine metres from the entrance or exit of hospitals (public/private), psychiatric facilities, long-term care homes, independent health facilities.
• On outdoor grounds of hospitals (public/private) and psychiatric facilities.
• In non-controlled areas in long-term care homes, certain retirement homes, provincially-funded supportive housing, designated psychiatric or veterans' facilities, and residential hospices.
• Publicly owned spaces, including sports fields, nearby spectator areas and public areas within 20 metres of these areas.
• Vehicles and boats being driven or at risk of being put into motion.

And you would not be allowed to smoke or vape cannabis in other outdoor areas, including:

• Restaurants and on bar patios and public areas within 9m of a patio.
• On outdoor grounds of specified Ontario government office buildings.
• In reserved seating areas at outdoor sports and entertainment locations.
• Grounds of community recreational facilities, and public areas within 20 metres of those grounds.
• In sheltered outdoor areas with a roof and more than two walls which the public or employees frequent, or are invited to (e.g. a bus shelter).

Edibles among products still illegal

Edibles purchased online in an investigation by Radio-Canada about the booming black market for marijuana products ahead of legalization. (Louis Blouin/Radio-Canada)
Commercially manufactured edibles and concentrates remain illegal until sometime in 2019.

Ontario to allow private retailers to sell cannabis, province will handle online sales
Only place to legally buy pot is OCS

The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) is the only place to legally purchase marijuana in Ontario and will be the case until at least April 2019.

Cannabis companies jockey for share of Ontario's pot shops
In August, the provincial government announced it would scrap brick and mortar OCS locations and move toward a private retail system.

Cannabis might now be legal - but it might be hard to find around the GTA

Tight deadline for Sudbury city council to pass resolution on retail cannabis stores
The system, which the government describes as "tightly controlled" would be governed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission Ontario, and OCS will be the only wholesaler to these stores.

The provincial government is giving municipalities until Jan. 22, 2019 to opt out of allowing private retailers within their boundaries.

Driving high will result in fines, zero tolerance for those under 21

The province has implemented zero tolerance for those under 21 caught driving under the influence of weed, regardless of licence status, and those with learners' permits (G1, G2, M1 or M2)