Nova Scotia stores that illegally sell cannabis could face $50K fines

Nova Scotia has introduced new cannabis-related offences.

Nova Scotia stores that illegally sell cannabis could face steep fines of up to $50,000 under the province’s new rules.

The province introduced the bill to increase the financial penalties of illegal cannabis sales last February.

Along with the heavier fines, the government has also introduced a $25,000 fine for landlords who allow cannabis sales on their properties and for illegal cannabis sellers who advertise or promote their sales.

The new fines include $15,000-to-$50,000 for businesses that illegally sell cannabis and $5,000-to-$25,000 for a person who illegally sells cannabis.

Anyone who buys cannabis anywhere other than the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) could face fines between $600 and $5,000.

Anyone under the age of 19 who possesses cannabis could be fined between $250 and $500.

Sales of cannabis will also be fined $3,680 per kilogram sold.

According to the Canadian Press, the previous lowest cannabis offence fine was $150 and the highest was $25,000.

“These changes reinforce that buying and selling cannabis outside the legal market is against the law,” said Scott Armstrong, minister of Justice, in a news release. “They will help protect young people while supporting the safe, legal market for adults who choose to use cannabis.”

Last year, the Nova Scotia government called for a crackdown on illegal cannabis shops. The move drew criticism from the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs, which called it a “clear example of what happens when the Province will not come to the table with us from the outset.”

Legal cannabis sales in Nova Scotia reached $138.8 million in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, according to the NSLC.

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