The Canadian government is increasing eight regulatory fees levied on the regulated cannabis industry beginning April 1.
The fee increases are in line with Canada’s official inflation rate of 4.4% over the 12 months leading to April 2023, according to details published in the official Canada Gazette.
The new fees will be:
- Micro-cultivation license application screening: 1,969 Canadian dollars ($1,457).
- Standard cultivation license application screening: CA$3,933.
- Nursery license application screening: CA$1,969.
- Micro-processing application screening: CA$1,969.
- Standard processing application screening: CA$3,933.
- Medical cannabis sales license application screening: CA$3,933.
- Security clearance application: CA$1,987.
- Import or export permit application: CA$734.
The Canadian government also levies a separate annual regulatory fee on cannabis operators of a flat fee or a percentage of gross revenue, whichever is higher.
The fees are meant to help offset the government’s costs for regulating Canada’s legal cannabis industry.
However, the fees sometimes go unpaid by struggling cannabis operators.
For the 2022-23 fiscal year, CA$3.9 million in cannabis regulatory fees had not been paid, an increase of 225% over the previous year.
