Have you heard the news? In about a week, Canada will become the second country to legalize recreational cannabis nationwide! Starting October 17, 2018, Canadian residents of a legal age will be able to walk right into a store and purchase cannabis products – all thanks to the landmark law, the Cannabis Act. According to the new law, Canadian residents will be allowed to purchase up to 30 grams of dried cannabis flower. At first glance, claiming that recreational weed is now legal in Canada seems pretty straightforward, but the law is actually pretty complicated. In fact, the cannabis laws in Canada went from eight to 45! This leaves many cannabis users wondering, “How do I buy weed in Canada?”
Table of Contents
Understanding Canada’s Cannabis Act
Once recreational cannabis is legal in Canada, the exact answer to “How do I buy weed in Canada?” will vary depending on which province you are in. The process is slightly similar to the way the United States has handled recreational cannabis – with each province in charge of setting its own rules and regulations around the sale, consumption, and distribution of cannabis.
In short, here is the quick breakdown of the law:
Purchase Limit: Varies based on provincial or territorial restrictions, check out the specifications by province below
Sales and Use Tax: $1 per gram on cannabis costing up to $10 per gram. Expensive strains will have a flat tax of 10 percent
Gifting Marijuana: A person can gift up to 30 grams of dried cannabis flower to another adult ages 18-21+ depending on the provincial or territorial restrictions
Possession Limit: 30 grams of dried cannabis flower
Personal Marijuana Plant Count Limit: 4 Plants per household, not per person using licensed seeds or seedlings from licensed suppliers
Social Use Law: Marijuana can be consumed in establishments that have been licensed for such activity
Making Cannabis Products: Canadians can make legal cannabis-containing products at home, such as food and drinks, provided that dangerous organic solvents are not used in making them. (And remember, concentrates and edibles are still illegal!)
Driving with Marijuana: A person can drive with marijuana in the car as long as it is properly sealed and stowed away in a place where the driver cannot access it. You are not allowed to drive while under the influence of any drugs, including marijuana. Cannabis must not be found within the blood within two hours of driving
Rules for delivery and online purchasing: Varies by province, see below
Looking for a Legal Cannabis Job in Canada?
Check out our Leafbuyer Cannabis Jobs Board!
While the above facts are pretty general, here is a more specific breakdown of each provinces’ exact recreational marijuana guidelines.
Buying Weed in British Columbia
If you are living in British Columbia, you will see a more flexible version of cannabis sales there. The province has set the legal age at 19+, and the cannabis shops will be a mixture of privately owned businesses and government-owned shops. This province will also allow dispensaries to sell dried flower online. Cannabis delivery is also allowed, your best bet is to look for a local dispensary and see if that is a service they offer.
If you are thinking the chill new Canadian cannabis laws mean you will be able to freely take your joints across the border into Washington, think again. The border laws remain the same – no marijuana transport allowed, even though it’s legal in both areas.
Here’s a list of cannabis dispensaries in British Columbia:
Hemp & Wellness Vernon
5601 Anderson Way, #102
Vernon, BC V1T 9V1
250-545-5584
The Healing Tree – Hastings
529 E Hastings Street,
Vancouver, BC V6A 1P9
604-559-9600
Cannabis Culture – Davie St
920 Davie St,
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1B8
604-428-5310
Red Med
231 Abbott Street,
Vancouver, BC V6B 2K7
604-559-9444
FARM Dispensary
369 Columbia St.,
Vancouver, BC V6A 4J1
604-428-3276
Gastown Medicinal Dispensary
306 Carrall Street,
Vancouver, BC V6B 2J3
604-428-0679
Green Panda Dispensary – Robson Street
1707 Robson Street,
Vancouver, BC V6E 3P2
778-737-6565
The Herb Co. – Mount Pleasant
1193 Main St,
Vancouver, BC V6A 4B6
604-696-0012
Canna City
725 Nelson St,
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1A8
778-379-2944
MMJ Total Health Care
3004B 31st Street,
Vernon, BC V1T 5H7
877-540-0186
The Herbal Health Centre – Kamloops
2-726A Sydney Ave,
Kamloops, BC V2B 3J2
236-421-2227
Okanagan Cannabinoid Therapy – Penticton
351 Westminster Ave. West, #101
Penticton, BC V2A 3K1
236-422-0322
Okanagan Cannabinoid Therapy – Kelowna
189 Highway 33,
Kelowna, BC V1X 2A1
778-753-6440
WEEDS – Richards
1108 Richards St.,
Vancouver, BC V6B 3E6
604-891-1420
Vancity Weed – Granville
1181 Granville Street,
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1M1
604-681-4460
Yaletown Medical Dispensary
1281 Howe Street,
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1C1
5 Star Organic
1062 Granville Street,
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L2
The Green Room Society – Dunsmuir
555 Dunsmuir,
Vancouver, BC V6B 1Y4
Ocean Grown Medicinal Society
1725 Cook Street,
Victoria, BC V8T3P4
The Dub
138 E. Pender St,
Vancouver, BC V6A 1T3
Buying Weed in Alberta
If you live in Alberta, your options for buying cannabis will be pretty straightforward. You just have to be 18 or older and find yourself a government-licensed store.
Alberta will also have a pretty awesome online sales and delivery service. Starting October 17, 2018 Alberta residents will be able to buy flower and oil online and get it delivered right to their door. And yes, the online service will have an age-verification process to prevent sales to minors. (In fact, all of Canada will have very strict laws for selling cannabis to minors – it’s one of the safety measures built into the Cannabis Act.).
Just keep in mind, only the dried flower will be recreationally legal – not cannabis vape pens or cannabis concentrates. If you want those products, here’s a list of medical cannabis dispensaries in Alberta:
Mary Jane
5010 3rd Ave,
Edson, AB T7E 1T4
587-466-9440
Ten Peaks Cannabis (Rocky Mountain Cannabis Club)
8330 MacLeod Trail SE, Unit F1
Calgary, AB T2H 2V2
587-352-7622
Buying Weed in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan decided to set the legal age of cannabis consumption at 19 and older and will be allowing private retailers as opposed to government-run retailers. The private retailers will also be permitted to have both online sales and delivery services. Sweet!
Here are a few cannabis dispensaries in Saskatchewan you can choose from:
The Grass Station
160 Broadway Street W,
Fort Qu’Appelle, SK 1
306-332-2111
Best Buds Society
1355 Cornwall St,
Regina, SK S4R 2H6
306-559-2617
Kelz Medical Services
2410 Dewdney Ave,
Regina, SK S4N 6C5
Jane & Co
2151 Albert St,
Regina, SK S4P 2V1
Buying Weed in Manitoba
In Manitoba, residents 19 and older will be able to purchase legal recreational cannabis from both online stores and privately run dispensaries. The only thing that sets Manitoba apart from the other provinces is that residents will not be allowed to grow pot at home. It is unclear whether dispensaries will still be allowed to sell cannabis seeds.
Here is a list of Manitoba cannabis dispensaries:
WEEDS – Winnipeg
52 Adelaide Street,
Winnipeg, MB R3A 0V7
204-219-1723
Green Light
1808 Main St,
Winnipeg, MB R2V 2A3
204-414-5244
HG Cannabis Wellness
675 Sargent Avenue,
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0A7
204-918-5607
Buying Weed in Ontario
If you have a favorite medical cannabis community in Ontario, you will probably need to keep your medical marijuana card active! According to this article by AFAR magazine, Ontario residents who want recreational pot must get it from government-run stores or online. This is a great example of why you may not want the government too involved in your cannabis sales – it is unclear what will happen to the many medical cannabis retailers in Ontario. (Just look at the list below, there are quite a few locations there!) One thing that might keep them alive is the fact that they will be your only resource for concentrates, edibles, and vape pens.
Government cannabis dispensary in Ontario:
The Ontario Cannabis Store
Online at: ocscannabisupdates.com
1-833-211-6272
Medical Cannabis Dispensaries in Ontario:
WEEDS – Bank St
224 Bank Street,
Ottawa, ON K2P 1X1
613-680-0420
MMJ Canada – Yorkville
20 Cumberland Street,
Toronto, ON M4W 1J5
416-925-9559
The Dank Of Canada
2 Payson Ave,
Vaughan, ON L4J 8K1
Lifeline Medicinals
505 Rideau Street,
Ottawa, ON K1N 5Z5
Ottawa Compassion Clinic
487 Rideau St,
Ottawa, ON K1N 5Z5
613-562-3854
Community Cannabis Clinic
1257 St. Clair Avenue West,
Toronto, ON M6E 1B8
416-653-0374
CAFE – Cannabis And Fine Edibles
66 Fort York Blvd,
Toronto, ON M5V 4A6
OO6-6
High Society – Carlton St.
180 Carlton St,
Toronto, ON M4X 1L8
416-546-8333
THE BARN Medical Dispensary
928 Montreal Road,
Ottawa, ON K1K 0S8
343-996-4823
The Toronto Liberty Dispensary
842 King St W,
Toronto, ON M5V 1P1
Vital Medicinals
1581 Bank St,
Ottawa, ON K1H 7Z3
The Relief Center – King
1224 King St W,
Toronto, ON M6K 1G4
416-516-8006
ZenZoo
480 Queen St W,
Toronto, ON M5V 2B2
647-351-5874
The Bud Station
1506 Eglinton Avenue West,
Toronto, ON M6E 2G5
437-770-2787
The OMD
39 Antares Dr.,
Ottawa, ON K2E
613-224-4495
The Toronto Dispensary
1334 Queen St W,
Toronto, ON M6K 1L4
647-340-4142
Dr. GreenThumb
973 Montreal Road,
Ottawa, ON K1K 0S6
613-745-5096
WEEDS – Montreal Rd
77 Montreal Rd,
Ottawa, ON K1L 6E8
613-695-9420
Premium Piff
Unit 8 – 9275 Markham Road,
Markham, ON L3P 3J3
437-995-6706
Greenworks Medicinal
5350 Canotek Road,
Ottawa, ON K1J 9C9
613-422-7095
Buying Weed in Quebec
Recreational cannabis in Quebec will be very strict – one of the strictest provinces in Canada. Like any others, users must be over the age of 21, but the only place you will be able to purchase cannabis through the Société Québécoise du Cannabis. There will be a few of these government stores erected around the province, and they will also sell products online.
Remember though, the government-run recreational shops will only carry edible and topical cannabis oil and dried flower. If you want different types of edibles (like tasty gummies and infused cannabis drinks) and cannabis concentrates, you will have to visit one of these medical marijuana stores:
Clinique La Croix Verte
2531 Rue Ontario E,
Montreal, QC H2K 1W2
514-510-5003
KannaKing
7070 Avenue Henri-Julien,
Montreal, QC H2S 3S3
438-833-3282
Marie Jeanne Boutique
5241 Boulevard Decarie,
Montreal, QC H3W 3C3
844-420-6274
Cloud9ine
83 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest,
Montreal, QC H2Y
438-833-3788
Weedeliver514
970 Saint Laurent Boulevard Montreal,,
Montreal, QC H2Z 1J4
438-922-1090
CMCA
3565 Boul St-Laurent,
Montreal, QC H2X 2T4
514-442-2865
Le Cannoisseur
879 Rue Saint-Jean,
Quebec City, QC G1R 1R2
418-914-6639
Weedoo
2181 Saint Dominique Street,
MONTREAL, QC H2X 3W1
514-619-8708
Buying Weed in New Brunswick
In this province, the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation will have a monopoly on cannabis sales. Cannabis NB was actually opened as a pilot store before the Cannabis Act passed. It is known for it’s sleek, clean design and the products are organized according to the experience they produce. But, you can only enjoy your product at home – smoking will be banned in public places.
As of now, there aren't hardly any medical marijuana locations in New Brunswick anyway. So, it should be no surprise that Cannabis NB will be opening 20 locations.
Buying Weed in Nova Scotia
In Nova Scotia, residents 19+ will be allowed to buy cannabis at government-run liquor stores and from online stores. Similar to how things will be run in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation will be the only one selling legal recreational cannabis.
If you have your medical card, you will still be able to purchase from one of the following locations:
Cannabis for Life
4115 Nova Scotia Trunk 3,
Chester, NS B0J 1J0, Canada
902-273-5433
Herbal Bud
19 Alma Crescent,
Halifax, NS B3N 2C4, Canada
+1 902-407-0970
Buying Weed in Newfoundland and Labrador
Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador over the age of 19 will purchase their legal recreational cannabis from licensed private retailers. Apparently, the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation will run all sales and distribution. Those who buy it must smoke at home though because no cannabis smoking will be allowed in public.
How Do I Buy Weed in Canada as a Foreigner?
According to Lonely Planet, the new recreational cannabis laws in Canada will be great for marijuana tourism. Several services in places like British Columbia and Ontario are popping up to shuttle visitors around to difference cannabis vape lounges, bars, spas, and cafes. Just remember, any marijuana purchased during your trip has to be consumed or left behind when you leave!
