The Community Safety Unit (CSU) can undertake a range of enforcement activities, including:
The CSU can also recommend the prosecution of offences under the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
Community Safety Unit officers are authorized under the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act to conduct inspections of premises where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the sale, supply, production, or storage of cannabis has occurred or is occurring.
Using their regulatory powers, Community Safety Unit officers may enter premises where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the sale, supply, production or storage of cannabis has occurred or is occurring, and conduct an inspection, which may involve seizing cannabis and removing other items.
The Director of the CSU or their delegate may issue a Notice of Administrative Monetary Penalty to those who have sold or produced cannabis in contravention of the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
The administrative monetary penalty is equal to two times the retail value of the cannabis sold, produced, or possessed for the purpose of sale.
The Notice of Administrative Monetary Penalty (NAMP) will include:
Important:
By signing a waiver, you are admitting to the contravention and accepting the payment of a monetary penalty in an amount equal to the retail value of the cannabis that the person sold, possessed for the purpose of sale or produced
For more information, see Administrative Monetary Penalty Policy.
For the relevant forms, see:
A person may apply for a reconsideration of an administrative monetary penalty imposed by the Director in a Compliance Order, provided certain requirements are met.
For more information, see Reconsideration Policy.
For the relevant forms, see:
To pay the AMP reconsideration application fee, access Express Pay.
The Director of the CSU makes three types of orders with respect to the imposition of administrative monetary penalties:
For more information on the three types of orders, and to view reasons for orders issued by the Director of the CSU, see Community Safety Unit Orders.
A person may apply for judicial review within 30 days of receiving the Director’s decision (for example, a Reconsideration Order) as described under section 126 of the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
Community Safety Unit officers are authorized to issue violation tickets for certain offences under the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act by the Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation. If you receive a violation ticket from a Community Safety Unit officer, you may:
Important:
You are deemed to have pleaded guilty to the offence under the Offence Act if you:
Community Safety Unit officers are authorized to seize cannabis under the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act both with and without a warrant. See Cannabis Seizures for more information.
Community Safety Unit officers appointed as Special Provincial Constables may:
If charges are approved by the British Columbia Prosecution Service, you may have to attend the BC Supreme Court. The consequences for violating the provincial regulatory regime can be severe and may include:
Criminal charges may also be pursued for certain offences.