Learn How to Grow Cannabis at Home in Canada Like an OG!

Everything You Need to Know About Growing Pot at Home in Canada

In 2018, Canada became only the second country in the world to make recreational weed legal in the whole country. And yes, that also meant you can now legally grow cannabis at home in Canada.

This monumental shift helped give rise to home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada. However, while Canada’s federal legislation sets the tone, individual territories and provinces have a right to set their own rules and regulations.

Today we’re going to examine some of the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada, the provincial and territorial variations and the differences between outdoor and indoor cultivation regulations.

If you don’t want to buy weed online in Canada and want to grow it on your own, you’re in the right place.

Home Cannabis Cultivation Laws in Canada

If you want to grow cannabis at home and not have to buy from an online dispensary in Canada, you need to know this.

Under the Cannabis Act, if you’re 18 years and over, then you’re allowed to grow at max four weed plants at your house for personal use.

Canada set this limit to try and curb any illegal activities regarding growing weed at home. It’s also there to make sure there are safe weed consumption practices in place.

This federal law also stipulates that people must get weed seedlings and seeds from authorized retailers. This helps ensure that all safety and quality standards and protocols are met.

It is important to keep in mind that while the Cannabis Act offers a standard baseline for legal cannabis growing in Canada, territories and provinces have the right to set their own laws concerning home cultivation.

This decentralized approach the government decided to take allows Canadian regions to design their restrictions based on public health and local contexts.

Provincial Cannabis Cultivation Rules

There’s a lot you need to know when you grow cannabis at home. Besides knowing the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada, you need to know the different regulations in the territories and provinces.

The autonomy given to each territory and province has led to a diverse regulatory system when it comes to growing weed at home.

Here are homegrown weed regulations by province.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in British Columbia (BC)

In BC, the cultivation limits align with what you get in the cannabis act, where all there’s guidelines on how to grow weed at home legally. You’re allowed to plant up to four weed plants at home.

However, if you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada and you live in BC, there are some visibility restrictions you must abide by. One of them is that the plant mustn’t be seen from public areas like sidewalks, streets and parks.

This means that you can only plant weed in your backyard or balcony if the plants can’t be seen by the public.

Now, when it comes to strata and rental provisions, Strata boards and landlords have the right to either prohibit or restrict weed cultivation on their residential properties.

If you don’t want to get your BC Bud online and want to grow it yourself, you can grow at home in BC.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in Alberta?

Alberta also aligns with the Cannabis Act when it comes to home cultivation. You’re allowed to grow at max four cannabis plants at home. So, remember this if you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada.

The home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada can be a little tricky to fully understand, but that’s why we’re here today. We don’t want you to get in trouble when growing weed at home.

If you’re a renter or someone who lives in multi-family environments, then you might have to deal with cultivation restrictions based on condo regulations and rental agreements.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in Ontario?

Like all the places we’ve mentioned above, Ontario also follows the limit in the Cannabis Act. So, if you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada and you’re in Ontario, know that you can only plant up to four weed plants at home.

Now, when it comes to seed procurement, you can only buy seedlings from authorized retailers or the Ontario Cannabis Store.

When you have an idea about the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to grow weed legally at home. Understanding the rules and regulations will ensure you don’t get in trouble with the law.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in Quebec?

Okay, if you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada and you live in Quebec, you can’t. Growing weed for recreational purposes isn’t allowed here.

The Supreme Court of Canada upheld this in 2023. The court affirmed that the province had the right to set such restrictions. You see how tricky home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada can be.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in Nova Scotia?

Here, you’re also allowed to only plant up to four cannabis plants at home. It follows the federal cannabis plant limits per household in Canada.

There’s also municipal oversight here. Local municipalities have the right to have additional bylaws that further restrict home growing.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in Manitoba?

In Manitoba, recreational home growing isn’t allowed. So, if you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada, you can’t in Manitoba. 

As we mentioned earlier, home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada can be complicated especially in the local level. If you’re in Manitoba, you’ll just have to buy cannabis online.

Can I Grow Cannabis at Home in Saskatchewan?

Unlike the province above, you’re allowed four cannabis plants per household, as the Cannabis Act entails. 

However, if you’re in a rental, you’ll have to ensure the landlord or your rental agreement allows for home growing otherwise, order weed online.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Cannabis Growing Laws

The choice between outdoor and indoor home cannabis cultivation in Canada is influenced by both practical considerations as well as legislation.

If you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada, you’ll also want to know the indoor and outdoor cultivation laws involved.

– Indoor Cultivation:

When you grow you weed indoors, you’ll get more privacy and security. This is good because in some provinces and territories there are restrictions on visibility of the plant when growing weed at home.

– Outdoor Cultivation:

Using natural sunlight can help reduce the energy costs related to indoor weed cultivation. However, many provinces require you to conceal your outdoor cannabis plants from public view.

You may also have to grow your weed within locked enclosures, which can get pricey. For example, New Brunswick provincial laws state that your weed must be grown in a locked enclosure that’s not lower than 1.52 meters.

Best Strains for Home Cannabis Growing

Now that you know how to start growing cannabis legally at home, why not find out what are the best strains to grow. If you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada, here are some of the strains you should consider.

• Northern Lights: This is a classic indica strain that’s both resilient and pretty easy to grow. It’s a strain that’ll give you high yields in tiny spaces.
• Blue Dream: This sativa-dominant hybrid strain also provides high yields in tight spaces. It’s easy to maintain at home and it gives consumers an uplifting high.
• White Widow: This balanced hybrid does very well indoors. Not only is it resistant to pets but it is a highly productive strain..
• Girl Scout Cookies: This strain isn’t easy to cultivate but you can do it at home and experience its sweet smelling flavours and potency..
• Durban Poison: If you want something that’ll thrive outdoors, this is it. This sativa can handle the cold Canadian climate and doesn’t have a long flowering time.
• Afghani: This hardy indica strain can also thrive in the cool Canadian climate. You can produce a high yield of this strain even in cool temperatures.

Home Cannabis Grow Tips in Canada

If you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada, here are a few grow tips you may want to have in mind. We’re not all about the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada; we also want you to be successful in your cultivation.

1. Picking the Right Cultivation Setup

Growing your weed indoors will cost more than doing it outdoors, but you’ll have more control. You’ll need things like ventilation systems and LED grow lights, which is where the high costs come in.

Outdoor growing is cheaper but it’s climate dependent. You’ll need to find a sunny spot where your weed can get at least 6 hours of natural direct sunlight every day.

2. Choosing the Right Weed Strain

Look for strains that are easy to grow at home and don’t require too much maintenance. Beginners should look at strains like Blue Dream and Northern Lights.

You also want something that’s fast-growing. Auto flowers such as Amnesia Haze Auto is a great choice.

3. Understand Growth Stages

Know what you need to do in the week 1 germination stage, the 2 – 3 week seedling stage and, of course the 6 – 10 weeks of flowering. Understand that your weed will need at least 7 hours of light daily if you want the plant too have strong roots.

4. Proper Harvesting and Drying

Know when it’s the right time to harvest. You can check trichomes with a magnifying glass to get an idea of when it’s time. Also, understand that drying of the weed typically happens in a cool, dark place.

Oh, something a lot of people who grow cannabis at home in Canada forget is curing their weed to get the best flavour. Store your dried weed in a glass container and burp them every day for the first 14 days.

Penalties for Illegal Cannabis Cultivation

If you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada, know that the Cannabis Act is where federal punishments come from. There’s a lot that comes with the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada.

1. Personal Growing Violations

If you’re found to be cultivating over four cannabis plants at home, there’s a chance you could go to prison for up to 14 years (if the court finds it’s trafficking-related). 

A lesser offence might lead to summary convictions and fines.

If you’re found selling the weed you grew at home, you may have to deal with a 14-year prison sentence if you didn’t have a license when you sold the weed.

You can also get up to 14 years in prison if you sell that weed to someone under the age of 18 years.

2. Unauthorized Large-Scale Growing

Growing more than four cannabis plants at home is illegal under the Cannabis Act. If you don’t have a license and you’re growing commercially, then you might face heavy fines and even asset seizures.

If you do this repeatedly, then you might have to deal with a mandatory prison sentence. Understand all the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada before you start growing weed at your place.

3. Criminal Charges

If you want to grow cannabis at home in Canada, know that certain violations can lead to criminal charges. This is mostly when home cultivation is associated with illegal distribution and organized crime.

If you’re growing weed in a home with kids under unsafe cultivation conditions, know you might end up having to deal with child protection involvement.

Grow Cannabis at Home in Canada

If you don’t want to buy weed online from an online weed dispensary and, instead, want to grow it at home, you can in Canada. You just need to understand all the home cannabis cultivation laws in Canada to be safe.

Hopefully, now you have a better idea of how to grow cannabis at home in Canada safely.