A Roadmap for Cannabis Equity in Canada to Inform the Legislated Review of the Cannabis Act
In this report, the CDPE aims to inform the legislative review of the Cannabis Act by charting a path forward for cannabis equity in Canada with recommendations for policymakers based on available evidence and best practices in other jurisdictions with legal cannabis markets. It begins by discussing the state of cannabis equity in Canada, then explores how cannabis equity has been pursued elsewhere, before offering recommendations for how cannabis equity could be pursued in Canada.
For this report, “cannabis equity” is defined as:
- Inclusion of people from underrepresented racial groups and genders – with a focus on people adversely affected by cannabis prohibition – in the employment and economic opportunities emerging from the legal cannabis industry,
- Amnesty for people with previous cannabis convictions, and
- Reinvestment of cannabis taxes into equity programs.
A summary of the recommendations is also available.
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