Yesterday in Vancouver, Minister Bennett, announced that our government has granted the province of British Columbia’s request for a subsection 56 exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs.

In response to a request from the province of British Columbia (BC), from January 31, 2023 to January 31, 2026, adults (18 and over) in BC will not be subject to criminal charges for the possession of up to 2.5 grams of certain illegal drugs for personal use.

Once this exemption comes into effect, individuals 18 and over in B.C will no longer face criminal penalties for possessing opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, or MDMA up to the 2.5-gram threshold, and these drugs will no longer be seized. Instead, law enforcement officials in the province will provide information on local health and social services and voluntary referrals to those services if requested by the individual, helping to move people towards trusted relationships in health and social services, and away from the criminal justice system.

This approval is just one tool among several actions that our government has launched to address the overdose crisis and reduce substance use harms. This includes providing funding for safer supply programs, and other projects focused on harm reduction, prevention, and treatment, through Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP). Today, the Minister also announced $11.7M through SUAP for 14 substance use related projects across the province of British Columbia.

Further information can be found in Minister Bennett’s statement, news release, and in this overview of the exemption.