The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (S.C. 1996, c. 19) is the federal statute that sets out Canada’s drug offences and schedules. Justice Laws notes the Act came into force on 14 May 1997 (Justice Laws, CDSA). Its offences include possession (section 4), trafficking (section 5), import and export (section 6) and production (section 7), each tied to the schedules.
Psilocin and psilocybin are items 11 and 12 of Schedule III, the same schedule that lists LSD and DMT (Justice Laws, CDSA). Health Canada says that under the Act, activities with magic mushrooms, psilocybin and psilocin, “such as sale, possession, and production, are illegal unless authorized by Health Canada” (Health Canada, magic mushrooms).
Authorizations come through regulations made under the Act, chiefly the Controlled Substances Regulations since 1 October 2026, and through exemptions the Minister of Health may grant under section 56 (Justice Laws, s. 56). The consolidated text on Justice Laws was current to 30 September 2026 when read. This is general information, not legal advice.
General information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Justice Laws: Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, full text
- Health Canada: Magic mushrooms
- Justice Laws: CDSA section 56
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