Ticketing Expanded for Tobacco and Vaping

Summary#

These final regulations (registered as SOR/2026-11) change the federal ticketing list so more tobacco- and vaping-related offences can be enforced by ticket instead of court. They raise many preset fines (previously $200–$500) to a new range of $500 to $3,000, and add 97 more offences to the list. The rules came into force on January 30, 2026 (published in the Canada Gazette on February 11, 2026).

What it does#

• Replaces the existing listing (Schedule XIV) in the Contraventions Regulations so that more offences under the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act and its related regulations can be enforced by ticket.
• Updates short-form descriptions of some offences to reflect that they now cover both tobacco and vaping products.
• Increases fine amounts for several previously ticketable offences from $200–$500 up to $500–$3,000.
• Adds 97 additional contraventions (ticketable offences) covering items such as:
  • selling or promoting vaping products in ways that appeal to young people (examples include promotional endorsements and advertising visible to young persons) — fines commonly $1,000 or $2,000;
  • failing to submit required tobacco- or vaping-related reports on time — fines up to $3,000 for some reports.
• Confirms the change does not create new criminal offences. It simply allows enforcement officers to use the faster ticketing process for existing regulatory offences.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers, importers, and retailers of tobacco and vaping products are most directly affected. They are more likely to be ticketed for things like prohibited additives, prohibited promotions, or late/missing reports.
• Store staff or others who furnish or deliver products to young people could face tickets (example fine listed as $2,000 for furnishing to a young person).
• Health Canada (as the policy lead) and enforcement officers will use the ticketing tool more widely.
• Provincial agencies that help process federal tickets will also be involved administratively.
• The changes do not add new compliance duties; they change how certain breaches are enforced. If it is unclear whether a particular activity is now ticketable, the original regulations and the Schedule should be checked.

Why it matters#

• Ticketing is a quicker, lower-cost way to enforce regulatory rules than court prosecutions. Making more offences ticketable means more routine problems can be addressed without lengthy legal proceedings.
• Higher fines aim to restore deterrence. The government says old fines set in 1999 (typically $200–$500) had become too small to discourage non-compliance.
• The additions focus heavily on vaping-related rules (advertising, promotions, flavours, labelling) and reporting requirements. That reflects an effort to strengthen enforcement around youth access and industry reporting.
• The regulations do not create new offences or new prohibitions — they change enforcement options and penalties for existing rules.