Enforcement
Last updated on October 26, 2023Enforcement of the legislation includes activities such as retailer education, public education, stakeholder relations, inspections, surveillance operations, and administrative tribunals.
These activities are conducted by enforcement officers employed by health authorities, and are guided by the Compliance and Enforcement Policy Manual (PDF, 389KB).
Contraventions of the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act
Under the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, it is illegal to sell, offer to sell, distribute, advertise or promote the use of tobacco or vapour products to individuals under 19 years of age. Other offences include failing to post age warning signs as required, selling cigarettes in packages of fewer than 20 cigarettes, selling cigarettes from open packages, using tobacco or vapour products on school property, smoking or vaping in a prohibited place, or displaying or promoting tobacco or vapour products in a prohibited manner.
Penalties and Administrative Reviews for Retail Contraventions
In cases where violations of the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act or Regulation are considered to have been made by retailers, the violation may be referred to either the provincial court system or to the Administrator of the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act for an administrative hearing.
Penalties for contraventions under legislation vary, based on the violation type, retail history and by enforcement method.
- Ticket issued for a contravention: Ticket amounts range up to $575 per contravention and can be heard through provincial court system. Fine Amounts for Contraventions of the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act and Regulation are provided under the Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation, B.C. Reg. 89/97.
- Contraventions by retailers pursued through an administrative hearing: Under the administrative hearing (also called a tribunal), adjudicators can set both monetary penalties and suspend tobacco sales authorizations. Monetary penalties range up to $5,000, and suspensions of sales authorizations range up to 180 days.
Administrative Hearing Decisions
This page includes all B.C. tobacco administrative hearing decisions issued since the launch of the process in 2011.
These decisions are posted in accordance with Section 50(4) of the Administrative Tribunal Act. Rule 14 of the Rules for Administrative Hearings under the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act (PDF, 468.7 KB) specifies that decisions be posted on the administrator’s website.
To view decisions and orders, please see below:
2023
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| IsLHA-1-2022 | February 21, 2023 | Simatech Satellite Services Inc. (dba Simatech Vapour Shop) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 TVPCA Section 2.4(1) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco or vapour products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 489KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 37KB) |
2021
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA-7-2019 | September 24, 2021 | Buddy’s Smoke Shop Ltd. (dba Buddy’s Smoke Shop) TVPCA Section 2.4(1) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco or vapour products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 5.3MB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 274KB) |
| FHA-5-2019 | August 18, 2021 | Al’s Smoke Shop Corp. (dba Al’s Smoke Shop) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 TVPCA Section 2.4(1) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco or vapour products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 350KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 140KB) |
2020
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| VCH-1-2020 | May 14, 2020 | Storm Ventures Company Ltd. (dba 22 Carrat Smoke and Vape Shop) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 TVPCA Section 2.4(1) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco or vapour products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 117KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 155KB) |
| FHA-1-2019 | Jan. 3, 2020 | Buddy’s Smoke Shop Ltd. TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 TVPCA Section 2.4(1) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco or vapour products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 100KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 57KB) |
2019
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| IHA-1-2018 | Jan. 22, 2019 | 0749470 B.C. Ltd. (dba Kimberley Shell) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 63KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 62KB) |
2018
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA-1-2018 | Oct. 4, 2018 | Cana Fuel Inc. (dba Cana Fuel) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 40KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 38KB) |
2017
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA-2-2017 | March 23, 2018 | Cana Fuel Inc. (dba Cana Fuel) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 41KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 42KB) |
| FHA-1-2017 | Dec. 10, 2017 | 101 Trading Co. Ltd. (dba Willoughby Market) TVPCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco or vapour products to person under 19 TVPCA Section 2.4(1) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco or vapour products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 64KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 57KB) |
| IslHA-2-2015 IslHA-7-2015 IslHA-9-2015 |
Jan. 30, 2017 | FHC Enterprises Ltd. (dba Fields) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 115KB) |
2016
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA-2-2016 | Sept. 19, 2016 | Sungsoo Kim (DBA Willoughby Market) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 35KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 30KB) |
2015
| Decision Number | Decision Date | Business Name and Contravention | Decision/Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| IslHA-1-2015 IslHA-3-2015 IslHA-4-2015 IslHA-5-2015 IslHA-8-2015 |
Feb. 8, 2016 | Kelland Foods Ltd. (dba Quality Foods) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 123KB) Amended-Decision and Order (PDF, 121KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 155KB) Amended-Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 2.0MB) |
| FHA-3-2015 | Dec. 15, 2015 | Abby Dollar Plus Inc. (dba Specialty Smoke Shop) TCA Section 2.4(a) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 48KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 60KB) |
| IslHA-6-2015 | Nov. 27, 2015 | Haike Investment Co. Ltd. (dba Happy Valley Market) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 68KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 53KB) |
| FHA-4-2015 | Nov. 7, 2015 | Seung Ho Rho and Kwang Eun Bae (dba Habits We Have Smokeshop) TCA Section 2.4(a) Prohibition on display or promotion of tobacco products |
Decision and Order (PDF, 42KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 76KB) |
| FHA-1-2015 | Sept. 28, 2015 | Ali Zulfiqar. (dba Sunfood Market) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
|
| FHA-2-2015 | Sept. 22, 2015 | 0973703 B.C. Ltd. (dba Ed’s Confectionary) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
|
| NHA-1-2015 | June 15, 2015 | 0976559 B.C. Ltd. (dba Dawson Creek Petro Canada) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
|
| IHA-1-2015 | April 29, 2015 | 0749470 B.C. Ltd. (dba Kimberley Shell) TCA Section 2(2) Sell tobacco to person under 19 |
Decision and Order (PDF, 38KB) Administrative Penalty Notice (PDF, 81KB) |
To view older decisions: