Health Canada Consults on Cannabis Tracking Order

Summary#

Health Canada is asking for public feedback on possible changes to the Cannabis Tracking System Order (CTSO). The notice was published in the Canada Gazette on August 30, 2025, and comments are accepted until October 29, 2025.

What it does#

• Announces a consultation on potential amendments to the Cannabis Tracking System Order (CTSO).
• Seeks ways to collect only the data needed to track cannabis and to cut overlapping or burdensome reporting.
• Looks at harmonizing reporting where it overlaps with other federal requirements and at improving how the Cannabis Tracking System works.
• Asks for examples and evidence from people who submit CTSO reports about time, errors, and burdens.
• Sends a separate voluntary cost–benefit survey to reporting bodies to collect more specific cost information.
• Opens a 60-day public comment period that ends October 29, 2025.
• Says any regulatory proposal that follows would be pre-published in the Canada Gazette for further comment.

Who's affected#

• Federally licensed cannabis producers and processors.
• Holders of medical sale licences who are authorized to possess cannabis.
• Provincially and territorially authorized distributors and retailers.
• Provincial and territorial governments that report to Health Canada on behalf of their retailers/wholesalers.
• Small and medium-sized licence holders are singled out in the notice as groups that raised concerns about reporting burden.
• It is unclear exactly which specific reporting fields or groups will be changed until Health Canada develops a formal proposal.

Why it matters#

• The consultation could reduce routine paperwork for businesses that currently file monthly reports.
• Lower reporting burden could save time and money, especially for smaller operators.
• Any change to what data is collected could affect how well authorities detect cannabis diversion to the illegal market.
• The outcome will shape what information regulators can access about production, inventory and sales across the legal cannabis supply chain.