Cannabis in Kingston
Ontario lets adults smoke cannabis wherever tobacco smoking is allowed, but Kingston's own bylaw bans smoking and vaping cannabis in every city park, beach and trail and close to building entrances. The city has no say over where stores go: Ontario's regulator licenses them, so Kingston has no store cap or zoning of its own.
Where can you smoke or vape cannabis in Kingston?
Ontario's rule is simple: cannabis can be smoked or vaped where tobacco can (see the Ontario rules page). Kingston's Smoking and Vaporizing By-law, passed on November 20, 2018, a month after legalization, names cannabis outright and adds city places to the provincial no-smoking list.
| Place | Rule |
|---|---|
| City parks, including trails, gardens, playgrounds, sports fields, pools and beaches | Banned, with or without a sign |
| Outdoor areas the city owns or controls that are open to the public | Banned |
| Entrances and exits of city buildings | Banned within 9 m |
| Transit shelters at transfer points such as Cataraqui Centre, Kingston Centre and St. Lawrence College | Banned within 9 m |
| Entrances and exits of any enclosed workplace or public place | Banned within 3 m |
| Restaurant and bar patios | Banned under provincial law |
The city bylaw does not cover streets and sidewalks, which fall under provincial rules. That leaves sidewalks that are more than 3 metres from a doorway, and private property where the owner allows it.
How did Kingston get its cannabis stores?
Kingston was set to be an early adopter under the original Ontario plan. In April 2018 the province picked the city for one of the first four government cannabis stores, in a suburban big-box centre on Gardiners Road. A change of government that summer scrapped public stores in favour of private ones, and that store never opened.
On January 8, 2019, council voted unanimously to allow private stores. A city survey of 2,027 people found 85.1 per cent somewhat or completely in favour, though some worried about stores near daycares and schools. Ontario first capped licences at 25 province-wide, chosen by lottery, and Kingston's first legal store opened downtown on Princess Street on April 1, 2019, the first day private stores could open. A second was scheduled to open on Brock Street four days later.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| April 2018 | Province picks Kingston for one of Ontario's first four government cannabis stores |
| Summer 2018 | New provincial government cancels public stores; the Kingston store never opens |
| November 20, 2018 | Smoking and Vaporizing By-law extends city smoking bans to cannabis |
| January 8, 2019 | Council votes unanimously to allow private cannabis stores |
| April 1, 2019 | First legal store opens on Princess Street |
| April 5, 2019 | Scheduled opening of a second store, on Brock Street |
Does Kingston control where stores open?
No. In Ontario, municipalities cannot license cannabis stores or zone for them specifically. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario licenses each store and enforces the provincial location rules, including a 150 metre minimum distance from schools. The city and residents can comment during a store's public notice period, but the regulator only weighs concerns about public health and safety, youth access and illicit activity.
What should visitors know?
You must be 19 to buy or possess cannabis in Ontario. Kingston is a short drive from the Thousand Islands Bridge into New York State. Taking cannabis across the border is illegal in both directions, even into states where it is legal. Read the label guide before trying an unfamiliar product.
