The Yukon government has launched its five-year review of the Cannabis Control and Regulation Act.
The legislation mandates a review every five years.
Per an Oct. 17 statement, the review will enable residents to share their opinions, experiences and suggestions, helping the government understand “the evolving landscape of legalization and assess how well the act is currently meeting the needs of Yukoners.”
The legislation, which came into effect on Oct. 17, 2018, has played a pivotal role in regulating the legal cannabis market in the Yukon, the statement said.
“The five-year review will determine whether the legislation remains responsive to the health and safety of Yukoners while ensuring continued support for the Yukon’s legal cannabis industry.”
In the Yukon Legislative Assembly, Sandy Silver, the minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corporation, said the review will determine whether the legislation remains responsive to Yukoners’ health and safety while ensuring support for the Yukon’s legal cannabis industry.
Yukoners interested in participating in the review have until Dec. 1 to complete a public survey at yukon.ca/engagements.
“We are seeking input from all Yukoners, including cannabis retailers, First Nations, municipalities and other stakeholders on this important subject,” Silver said. “This review will assess the effectiveness of the act in achieving its objectives, including restricting youth access, eliminating the illicit cannabis market and protecting public health and safety overall.”
The review will incorporate findings into a report that details recommendations on how to improve the Yukon’s cannabis framework.
He noted the federal government is in the process of carrying out a three-year review of the federal Cannabis Act.
“As our legislation is aligned with the federal act, changes at the federal level may therefore impact our legislation in the future,” he said.
Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon pointed out that the legislation requires a report on the review to be made to the Yukon Legislative Assembly within one year.
Dixon asked if the goal will be to have legislative changes ready by then or if Yukoners will need to wait longer for any changes that will come from this review.
Silver said it’s very important to remember that, prior to legislation, illegal sellers had 100 per cent of the market. He said, per Statistics Canada, there is data to suggest that the territory is currently capturing approximately 70 to 80 per cent of the illicit market.
“We were starting from scratch here,” he said. “It’s not like there was another nation that we could emulate in the legislation, so I would concur with the member opposite — the leader of the Official Opposition — that there is work to be done. There is a necessity to continue to review the processes.”
He said the government’s commitment to safeguarding public health and safety, keeping cannabis out of the hands of youth and displacing the illicit market remains unwavering.
“We are dedicated to the task of continuously improving our approach to cannabis control and regulations,” he said.
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com