New Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency

Summary#

The Government of Canada established the Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency by proclamation (SOR/2024-220) to support promotion and research for industrial hemp. The new agency will have nine members and was registered on November 8, 2024 and published in the Canada Gazette on November 20, 2024.

What it does#

• Creates the Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency with a membership of nine members elected at its annual meeting.
  • Six seats represent individual provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
  • One seat represents the four Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador).
  • One seat represents industrial hemp importers.
  • One seat represents others in the hemp supply chain.
• Sets member terms at two years and requires election of a chair and vice‑chair by members. Temporary substitutes can be appointed if someone leaves.
• Fixes the agency’s head office in Calgary (Province of Alberta).
• Authorizes the agency to promote marketing and production of industrial hemp products and to conduct or support research.
• Lets the agency prepare an annual budget and business program (for a 12‑month period) for review by the oversight council.
• Gives the agency the power to impose levies or charges on people and businesses involved in interprovincial or export marketing and on importers of industrial hemp products or derivatives.
  • The agency can group payers into classes and set collection rules.
  • Money from import levies must be kept in a separate account.
  • Unpaid levies become a debt after 30 days.
• Requires the agency to hold a review meeting of its plan within five years of the proclamation coming into force, and every five years thereafter, and to report the results.

Who's affected#

• Licensed industrial hemp growers (producers) in the provinces named above, especially those who have cultivated hemp recently.
• Businesses that import industrial hemp products or derivatives.
• Companies and people in the hemp supply chain (processors, packers, transporters, exporters, marketers).
• Provincial industry groups and local communities where agency activities or the head office (in Calgary) are based.
• Consumers are indirectly affected if the agency’s promotion or research changes product availability or marketing.

Why it matters#

• The agency creates a national, industry-led body focused on growing markets and research for industrial hemp.
• It can raise money through levies, so some importers and marketers could face new fees to fund promotion and research.
• Its work could help expand export markets, support new products, and fund research that affects how hemp is grown, processed, and sold.
• Because the agency must review its plan every five years, its priorities may change over time as the industry evolves.