Is Alcohol legal in Canada?
Also known as: booze
- Legal status
- Legal. Alcohol (ethanol) is a provincially-licensed, age-regulated commodity, not a controlled drug; minimum age 18 (AB, MB, QC) or 19 (other provinces/territories).
- Consequences if caught
- No penalty for adult consumption; provincial liquor-control offences for unlicensed sale, sale to minors and open liquor in public. Section 60 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act lets the Governor in Council by order amend any of Schedules I to IV, VI and IX by adding or deleting an item, if the Governor in Council considers the amendment necessary in the public interest. The consolidation read states on its face that it is current to 21 July 2026. An absence is only ever an absence as at the version read, and this cell does not rule out a later amendment.
- If prescribed or medical
- Not applicable, a beverage, not a medicine.
- Documentation
- Sold through provincial liquor boards and licensed retailers on proof of age; no traveller permit within import limits.
- who.int
- Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, S.C. 1996, c. 19, s. 60 and Schedules I to V, Justice Laws consolidation current to 2026-07-21
- laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
- consulted 16 September 2026
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Court records
We have not yet assessed whether court records are publicly available for this jurisdiction.
Other substances confirmed in Canada
Same substance, other countries
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Canada’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately, not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →