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Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction Desjardins

Jurisdictions

Alberta

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger  
  • Class 7 (Learner) licence holders
  • Class 5 – GDL (Probationary) licence holders  

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 30 days. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station. 
  • Police will take and impound your vehicle for 7 days. The driver must pay all costs related to towing and impounding the vehicle.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • If police suspend your licence during the last year of the GDL program, you must remain in the GDL program until you are one year free from additional licence suspensions.
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving
     

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger  
  • Class 7L (Learner) licence holders
  • Class 7N (Novice) licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 
 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 12 hours. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station. 
  • The Superintendent of Motor Vehicles will review of your driving record and may issue you additional driving restrictions.  

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • Class 7 L drivers will reattempt all driver testing.
  • Class 7 N drivers must restart the 24-month N licensing stage.
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • in the Graduated Driver Licencing program
  • have not held a full licence for three years
  • Class 5 – Learner licence holders
  • Class 5 – Intermediate licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 24 hours. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station and pay a licence reinstatement fee ($50). 
  • The Driver Improvement and Control Program will review your driving record and may issue you additional driving restrictions.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • Can result in denial of insurance coverage
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving
     

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • Under 21 years of age 
  • Class 7 Level 1 licence holders
  • Class 7 Level 2 licence holders

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 24 hours. 
  • Police may take and impound your vehicle.   

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger 
  • Level I – Learner licence holders
  • Level II – Novice licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • For Level I Novice drivers, police will take your licence for at least 60 days. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station and pay a licence reinstatement fee ($200). 
  • Police will take and impound your vehicle for a minimum of 7 days.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your territory has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger 
  • Class 7 – Learner Licence holders
  • Class 5P – Probationary Licence holders

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 30 days. You will be required to pay a licence reinstatement fee ($319.00) before you can drive.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger  
  • Learner (Class 7) licence holders
  • Newly Licensed Driver (Class 5N) licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for a minimum of 24 hours. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station and pay a licence reinstatement fee ($124.60).

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • Class 7 Learners licence holders must restart the learning stage again – this means waiting an additional 12 months to be eligible for a Class 5 N licence 
  • Class 5 N licence holders must restart the Newly Licensed Driver stage – this means waiting an additional 24 months to be eligible for a Class 5 full licence. 
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your territory is proposing a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…

  • Minors
  • Novice Drivers

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police may take your licence for 30 days. 

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving 

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger
  • Class G1 licence holders
  • Class G2 licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 3 days. You will be required to pay a licence reinstatement free ($281.00) before you can drive.
  • Minimum $250 fine

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • May face additional penalties, such as mandatory education programs, for repeat offences
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving
     

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger
  • Class 7 – Stage 1 (L) licence holders
  • Class 5 – Stage 2 (G) licence holders
  • Class 5 – Stage 3 (G) licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for 90 days. You will be required to pay a licence reinstatement fee ($100) before you are able to drive. 
  • Police will take and impound your vehicle for 30 days. The driver must pay all costs related to impounding the vehicle.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • You must remain in the current licensing stage for additional time equal to that of your licence suspension. For example, if police take your licence for 30 days in stage 1, you are required to remain in stage one for an additional 30 days.   
  • Insurance companies may increase your insurance rates, or even deny you future insurance coverage.  
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are… 

  • Any and all ages
  • Driving with any licence class

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. 

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for at least 90 days. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station.
  • Police may take and impound your vehicle.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • 21 years of age or younger
  • Class 7 – Learner licence holders
  • Class 5 – Novice 1 licence holders
  • Class 5 – Novice 2 licence holders

*It’s important to know that these rules apply to the operation of any motorized vehicle, including cars, trucks, motorcycles ATVs, snowmobiles and boats.

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for at least 60 days. You will not be able to drive until you have retrieved your licence from the police station. 
  • Police will take and impound your vehicle for 3 days. The driver must pay all costs related to towing and impounding the vehicle.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • Must complete additional impaired driving education courses to be eligible to drive. 
  • May face additional criminal charges if convicted of drug-impaired driving
     

Zero Tolerance Policy

Your province has a zero-tolerance policy for driving after using cannabis, alone, or in combination with other drugs. This policy applies to drivers who are…  

  • Class 7 – Learner Licence holders
  • Class 5 – Novice Licence holders

Violations – What this means in the short-term

  • Police will take your licence for a minimum of 24 hours. 
  • Police may take and impound your vehicle.

Violations – What this means in the long-term

  • Charge may be recorded on driving record
  • May face additional criminal impaired driving charges 

Road Trip Tip #5: Zero tolerance means zero impairment. Driving high can cost you time, money and freedom. In most places in Canada, it is against the law for young and new drivers to drive after consuming any amount of cannabis, alcohol or other drugs. It’s safer if you don't use cannabis. 

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