Cannabis Retail Regulations
made under Section 14 of the
Cannabis Control Act
S.N.S. 2018, c. 3
O.I.C. 2025-100 (effective April 3, 2025), N.S. Reg. 72/2025
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Citation
Definitions
Authorized cannabis sellers under these regulations
Authorized cannabis seller agreement
Authorization certificate
Termination of authorized cannabis seller agreement and cancellation of certificate
Sale of cannabis by certified cannabis seller
Selling flavoured cannabis extract prohibited
Young persons and premises
Books, records and reporting
Inspections of premises by Corporation
Employees of certified cannabis seller
Disposing of cannabis
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Cannabis Retail Regulations.
Definitions
2 In these regulations,
“authorization certificate” means a certificate issued by the Corporation under
Section 5;
“band” means a band within the meaning of the Indian Act (Canada);
“band-owned corporation” means a corporation all of the shares of which are
owned by a band;
“cannabis extract” means cannabis extract as defined in the Cannabis Regulations
made under the Cannabis Act (Canada), the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
(Canada) and the Food and Drugs Act (Canada);
“certified cannabis seller” means an authorized cannabis seller, other than the
Corporation, who has been issued an authorization certificate;
“person” includes a band and a band-owned corporation;
“premises” means a retail premises contained in a non-movable building that is
permanently affixed to the ground and located on a reserve;
“reserve” means a reserve within the meaning of the Indian Act (Canada).
Authorized cannabis sellers under these regulations
3 For the purposes of subclause (ii) of the definition of “authorized cannabis seller” in the
Act, a person that is a band or a band-owned corporation may be authorized under these
regulations to sell cannabis by entering into an authorized cannabis seller agreement.
Authorized cannabis seller agreement
4 (1) The Corporation may enter into an authorized cannabis seller agreement with a
person described in Section 3 for the wholesale sale of cannabis by the Corporation
to the person, and the retail sale of cannabis by the person.
(2) An authorized cannabis seller agreement must provide for all of the following:
(a) the address of the premises where the person is authorized to sell cannabis;
(b) the requirements that the person must comply with in order to sell cannabis,
in addition to the requirements of these regulations;
(c) the date that the person’s status as an authorized cannabis seller takes effect;
(d) any additional terms and conditions as are agreed to by the person and the
Corporation.
(3) An authorized cannabis seller agreement ceases to have effect when it is
terminated by either party or the term of the agreement expires.
Authorization certificate
5 (1) The Corporation must issue a certificate to a person with whom they have entered
into an authorized cannabis seller agreement that shows that the person is an
authorized cannabis seller under the Act and a certified cannabis seller under these
regulations.
(2) The effective date of the authorization certificate is the date identified in the
authorized cannabis seller agreement.
(3) A certified cannabis seller must prominently display their authorization certificate
at the premises identified on the authorization certificate.
Termination of authorized cannabis seller agreement and cancellation of certificate
6 (1) All of the following occur when an authorized cannabis seller agreement ceases to
have effect:
(a) the person ceases to be an authorized cannabis seller;
(b) the person ceases to be a certified cannabis seller, except for the purposes of
Section 10 and Section 11 of these regulations;
(c) the person’s authorization certificate is cancelled and must not be publicly
displayed.
(2) When an authorized cannabis seller agreement ceases to have effect, the person
must
(a) return their cancelled authorization certificate to the Corporation upon
request by the Corporation or an employee of the Corporation; and
(b) return all cannabis to the Corporation upon request by the Corporation and
in accordance with the authorized cannabis seller agreement.
Sale of cannabis by certified cannabis seller
7 (1) A certified cannabis seller may only sell cannabis that meets all of the following
requirements:
(a) it is in its original package;
(b) the amount sold in a transaction does not exceed 30 g of dried cannabis or
the equivalent amount of another class of cannabis, as determined in
accordance with Schedule 3 of the federal Act.
(2) A certified cannabis seller may sell cannabis only
(a) at the premises identified on their authorization certificate; and
(b) when the purchaser is present at the premises.
(3) A certified cannabis seller must appoint a store manager in accordance with the
terms of their authorized cannabis seller agreement.
(4) A certified cannabis seller must comply with all requirements, terms and
conditions of their authorized cannabis seller agreement.
(5) A certified cannabis seller must not permit cannabis to be sampled on its premises.
Selling flavoured cannabis extract prohibited
8 An authorized cannabis seller must not sell cannabis extract intended to be consumed by
means of inhalation that meets any of the following criteria:
(a) it has a characterizing scent or flavour, other than cannabis, that is
noticeable before or during use, or both;
(b) it contains a synthetic flavouring agent;
(c) it is represented by its packaging or labelling as having a flavour other than
cannabis.
Young persons and premises
9 (1) A certified cannabis seller who sells products other than cannabis at their premises
must design the premises so that young persons cannot see or gain access to the
areas where cannabis is displayed, sold or stored.
(2) A certified cannabis seller who does not sell products other than cannabis at their
premises must not allow young persons to enter the premises.
Books, records and reporting
10 (1) A certified cannabis seller must maintain adequate records of cannabis transactions
by doing all of the following:
(a) maintaining books of account, records and documents related to cannabis
for recording all of the following:
(i) purchase transactions,
(ii) sales transactions,
(iii) inventory,
(iv) information that is required to meet tracking obligations under the
federal Act, its regulations and its orders,
(v) any additional information required by the Corporation;
(b) maintaining a point-of-sale system at the premises that enables them to meet
the requirements of clause (a) and subsection (2);
(c) providing the Corporation with any records, documents or other information
the Corporation requires to satisfy the Corporation that the authorized
cannabis seller is complying with the Act, these regulations and the
authorized cannabis seller agreement;
(d) permitting an employee of the Corporation, the Corporation’s appointee, or
an employee of the Corporation’s appointee to enter its premises in
accordance with Section 11.
(2) Each month, a certified cannabis seller must submit to the Corporation, as the
public body referred to in subsection 5(2) of the Cannabis Tracking System Order
made under the federal Act, all of the information required to be submitted to a
public body in accordance with that order.
(3) A certified cannabis seller must maintain the books, records and documents
required by subsection (1) at their premises or at their head office for at least
7 years.
Inspections of premises by Corporation
11 (1) The Corporation may appoint an employee or other person to enter and inspect
certified cannabis sellers’ premises for the purposes of ensuring compliance with
the Act, these regulations and the authorized cannabis seller agreements.
(2) In carrying out an inspection of a certified cannabis seller’s premises, the
Corporation’s employee or appointee, or an employee of the Corporation’s
appointee, may do any of the following:
(a) inspect, audit, examine and make copies of any books of account, records or
documents related to the purchase and sale of cannabis;
(b) interview the store manager and any other employees of the seller.
Employees of certified cannabis seller
12 Any employee of a certified cannabis seller who handles or sells cannabis, or who could
view or be exposed to cannabis, must be 19 years old or older.
Disposing of cannabis
13 Without the prior written authorization of the Corporation, a certified cannabis seller
must not do any of the following:
(a) destroy cannabis;
(b) dispose of cannabis other than by a retail sales transaction that is in
compliance with the Act, the federal Act, these regulations and the
authorized cannabis seller agreement.
The following regulations are not
yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation: