Industrial Hemp Definitions Amended

Summary#

This proclamation (SOR/2025-224) updates two definitions in the Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency Proclamation so they match recent changes to the Cannabis Act and the Industrial Hemp Regulations. The change mainly sorts which Schedule 2 items are treated as “industrial hemp product” and which are treated as “derivative.”

What it does#

• Replaces the definitions of “derivative” and “industrial hemp product” in section 1 of the schedule to the Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency Proclamation.
• New wording:
  • derivative now means anything set out in items 5 and 6 of Schedule 2 to the Cannabis Act.
  • industrial hemp product now means industrial hemp and anything set out in items 1 to 4 of Schedule 2 to the Cannabis Act.
• The change follows amendments made in February 2025 to the Cannabis Act and the Industrial Hemp Regulations that rearranged how certain hemp items are listed.
• The Governor in Council directed the proclamation under Order in Council P.C. 2025-702 of October 3, 2025, and it was registered October 31, 2025 and published November 19, 2025.

Who's affected#

• Producers and importers of hemp and hemp-derived products are the main groups affected. The proclamation itself notes that a majority of those producers and importers supported the change.
• The Canadian Industrial Hemp Promotion-Research Agency and the Farm Products Council of Canada (which oversees the agency) will use the new wording in their rules and communications.
• Regulators and businesses that label, sell, import or research hemp products may notice the change because it clarifies which items are classed as “industrial hemp product” versus “derivative.”

Why it matters#

• The change fixes inconsistent wording between the hemp agency’s proclamation and federal cannabis law. That reduces confusion about which products fall under which rules.
• It does not create new costs or reporting burdens for businesses, according to the government’s impact statement.
• For hemp farmers, processors, and sellers, the clearer definitions can affect who is covered by agency programs, levies, or representation — because those depend on how products are classified.