How to buy cannabis legally in Canada
Last reviewed · Based on official government sources
Non-medical cannabis has been legal for adults in Canada since October 17, 2018, but “legal” does not mean it can be bought anywhere. The federal Cannabis Act sets the national framework, and each province and territory decides who may sell cannabis, what the minimum age is, and where people may use it. This guide explains how the system fits together so you can tell a legal purchase from an illegal one.
It is general information drawn from official government pages, listed at the bottom. It is not legal advice, and the rules do change, so always confirm the current rules with your province or territory before you rely on them.
Who sets the rules
The federal government licenses the companies that grow and process cannabis and sets rules for products, packaging, labelling and advertising. According to Health Canada, provinces and territories are responsible for how cannabis is distributed and sold in their jurisdiction. They can also set a higher minimum age, lower the possession limit, restrict where cannabis may be used, and add rules about growing at home.
That is why the experience of buying cannabis is different in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. The product rules are national, but the store rules are local.
The three kinds of legal sellers
Across Canada, every legal sale of non-medical cannabis goes through one of these channels, depending on where you are:
- Government-run stores and websites. In some places a provincial agency is the only retailer. For example, Health Canada lists Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Northwest Territories as having government in-person and online sales.
- Provincially licensed private stores. In most provinces, private businesses run storefronts under a licence from the provincial regulator, such as the AGCO in Ontario or the AGLC in Alberta.
- A mix of both. British Columbia has government-run BC Cannabis Stores alongside licensed private retailers. Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador have licensed private stores in person and a government website for online orders.
People with a medical authorization buy from federally licensed sellers under a separate system. This site covers non-medical retail stores only.
Who can sell in each province and territory
This summary follows Health Canada’s list of authorized retailers. Check the linked provincial guides for more detail.
- Alberta: private stores, in person and online. Minimum age 18. See buying cannabis in Alberta.
- British Columbia: government stores and website, plus private stores in person. Age 19. See buying cannabis in B.C..
- Manitoba and Saskatchewan: private stores, in person and online. Age 19. See Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
- Ontario: private stores in person; online through the government’s Ontario Cannabis Store. Age 19. See buying cannabis in Ontario.
- Quebec: the government’s SQDC only, in stores and online. Age 21. See buying cannabis in Quebec.
- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI: government sales in person and online. Newfoundland and Labrador: private stores in person, government online. Age 19. See Atlantic Canada.
- Yukon and Nunavut: private sales in person and online. Northwest Territories: government sales. Age 19. See the territories.
What you need when you buy
You must meet the minimum age where you are buying, not where you live. Expect to be asked for identification, and expect to be refused if you cannot show it. Health Canada lists “no age verification” as one of the signs of an illegal seller. For more, see what ID you need to buy cannabis.
Every province and territory limits how much an adult can have in public to 30 grams of dried cannabis or the equivalent in other forms. Several provinces also limit how much can be sold in one purchase. See legal age and possession limits.
How to recognize a legal product
The Government of Canada describes several features that should be on every legal product:
- an excise stamp on the package, which differs by province or territory (cannabis products with very low THC, under 0.3%, are an exception);
- a yellow health warning message in English and French;
- the standardized red THC symbol;
- plain, child-resistant packaging (plants and seeds are an exception to the child-resistant rule);
- a nutrition facts table on edible products.
Our guides to reading a cannabis label and the excise stamp and packaging go into this in more detail.
Warning signs of an illegal seller
Health Canada and several provinces list signs that a store or website is not legal. These include:
- no age check before you can view or buy products;
- packaging that looks like candy or is designed to appeal to young people;
- offers to ship anywhere in Canada (legal retailers can generally only sell within their own province or territory);
- referral or sign-up bonuses;
- payment only by e-transfer or cryptocurrency, with no credit card option;
- edibles claiming more than 10 mg of THC per package;
- no excise stamp.
Buying from an illegal seller can carry penalties under provincial law. Ontario, for example, warns that buying from anywhere other than the Ontario Cannabis Store or an authorized store can lead to a fine of up to $100,000, up to a year in jail, or both. Health Canada also notes that illegal products are not tested for contaminants and that sharing personal or payment details with illegal sellers carries a risk of identity theft.
Health Canada suggests reporting illegal sellers to your local police or the RCMP. See how to tell a licensed cannabis store for the official tools to check a store.
Using this directory
Every store listed on this site comes from an official provincial or territorial registry of licensed retailers, and each listing links back to its source. We do not sell or deliver cannabis, and we do not list unlicensed sellers. You can browse by province or start with the map. How to read a store listing explains what each part of a listing means.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it legal to buy cannabis online in Canada?
- Yes, but only from a seller authorized in your province or territory. Depending on where you live, that is a government website or a licensed private store’s own website. A site that offers to ship anywhere in Canada is a warning sign of an illegal seller.
- What is the legal age to buy cannabis?
- It is 19 in most of Canada, 18 in Alberta and 21 in Quebec. You must meet the age of the province or territory where you are buying.
- How much cannabis can I carry in public?
- Adults can carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis, or the equivalent in other forms, in public anywhere in Canada. Provinces may set additional limits on purchases and on where cannabis can be carried or used.
In our directory
Sources
Facts in this guide were taken from these official sources, checked October 25, 2026.
Related guides
Cannabis legal age and possession limits by province and territory
The minimum age and public possession limit for non-medical cannabis in every Canadian province and territory, with how equivalents to dried cannabis work.
How to tell a licensed cannabis store from an illegal one
Official ways to check that a cannabis store or website is licensed in your province, and the warning signs governments say point to an illegal seller.
Legal cannabis delivery and online ordering in Canada
Who is allowed to sell cannabis online and deliver it in each province, what the delivery rules require, and the signs of an illegal delivery service.
Cannabis in Canada: a first-time visitor’s FAQ
Plain answers for visitors and newcomers: legal age by province, how much you can carry, where to buy, where you can use it, driving, and why you cannot take it across the border.