Health Minister Regains Drug and Vaping Authority
Order Transferring from the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health to the Minister of Health the Powers, Duties and Functions Under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act: SI/2025-36
An Order (SI/2025-36) transfers the powers, duties and functions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act from the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health back to the Minister of Health. The order was signed on 2025-03-14 and registered in the Canada Gazette on 2025-03-26; it is an administrative reassignment and does not itself change laws or regulatory rules.
- Published
- March 26, 2025
- Department
- Unavailable
- Section
- Order Transferring from the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health to the Minister of Health the Powers, Duties and Functions Under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act
- Comment deadline
- Unavailable
- Effective date
- March 14, 2025
- Publication part
- Part II
Summary
Summary#
This order, SI/2025-36, moves federal responsibilities for two laws back to the main health minister. It transfers powers that had been given in P.C. 2022-549 (on May 26, 2022) from the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health to the Minister of Health. The order was registered on March 26, 2025 and signed March 14, 2025.
What it does#
- Transfers to the Minister of Health the powers, duties and functions under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act that had been assigned to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health by P.C. 2022-549.
- Carries out the transfer under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act (the statute that lets the government reassign ministerial responsibilities).
- The change is administrative: it reassigns which minister handles these specific legal authorities. The notice does not add new rules for drugs, tobacco, or vaping.
Who's affected#
- Internally: federal ministers and officials who manage drug, tobacco and vaping policy and enforcement will see a change in who has lead responsibility.
- Regulated sectors: companies and organizations that work with controlled substances, tobacco, vaping products, or related public-health rules may deal with a different minister’s office for approvals, inquiries or policy issues.
- The public and health groups: any group that follows federal drug or tobacco policy might notice shifts in public statements or priorities if the new minister takes a different approach. The order itself does not set policy.
Why it matters#
- It clarifies which minister is officially responsible for two important federal laws. That affects who answers questions in Parliament and who signs certain administrative decisions.
- For businesses and advocacy groups, it may change which minister’s office they contact about rules or regulations.
- The notice is a structural, administrative change. The Canada Gazette text does not say this order changes the laws or policy direction by itself.
Key topics
Source: Canada Gazette