Smoking and Vaping Rules in Canada at a Glance
Key takeaways
Federal rules treat tobacco and vaping products alike on age (18) but differently on nicotine (a 20 mg/mL cap for vapes), flavours and tax. Provinces decide where either can be used, and many apply the same smoke-free rules to both.
Federal rules compared
| Tobacco | Vaping products | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal minimum age | 18: it is an offence to furnish a tobacco product to anyone under 18 | 18: it is an offence to furnish a vaping product to anyone under 18 |
| Nicotine | Not covered by the vaping concentration cap | Must not exceed 20 mg/mL (SOR/2021-123, in force 8 July 2021) |
| Flavours | Flavouring additives are prohibited in cigarettes, little cigars, blunt wraps and certain cigars; menthol is prohibited in tobacco products made or sold in Canada | No federal ban on flavours; promotion that uses five flavour categories (confectionery, dessert, cannabis, soft drink, energy drink) is prohibited |
| Packaging | Plain and standardized appearance since 2019, fully implemented 9 February 2022; warnings on individual cigarettes since 1 August 2023 | Federal rules apply; this site does not summarise them yet |
| Federal excise | $0.97299 per 5 cigarettes from 1 April 2026 | $1.12 per 2 mL for the first 10 mL, then $1.12 per 10 mL, since 1 July 2024 |
Details and sources are in federal smoking laws explained and vaping laws in Canada.
Provincial minimum age
| Province or territory | Tobacco | Vaping products |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | 19 | 19 |
| Alberta | 18 | 18 |
| Saskatchewan | 19 | 19 |
| Manitoba | 18 | 18 |
| Ontario | 19 | 19 |
| Quebec | Not yet confirmed | Not yet confirmed |
| New Brunswick | Not yet confirmed | Not yet confirmed |
| Nova Scotia | Not yet confirmed | 19 |
| Prince Edward Island | Not yet confirmed | Not yet confirmed |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 19 | 19 |
| Yukon | 19 | 19 |
| Northwest Territories | 19 | 19 |
| Nunavut | 19 | 19 |
Each age links to the official page it comes from. The federal minimum is 18; provinces and territories can set a higher age. “Not yet confirmed” means we could not read an official page for that jurisdiction on the review date.
Where either can be used
Provinces and territories set the bans. The rows below show whether the smoke-free rules cover vaping in each jurisdiction.
| Province or territory | Vaping treated like smoking? |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | BC applies the same smoke-free rules to vaping as to smoking. Source |
| Alberta | The Act's prohibitions apply to both smoking and vaping. Source |
| Saskatchewan | Saskatchewan's enclosed-public-place and vehicle bans apply to both smoking and vaping. Source |
| Manitoba | Manitoba's smoke-free rules cover both smoking and vaping in the listed places. Source |
| Ontario | The same smoke-free rules apply to vaping (activated e-cigarettes) as to smoking. Source |
| Quebec | Not yet confirmed from an official page |
| New Brunswick | Not yet confirmed from an official page |
| Nova Scotia | Not yet confirmed from an official page |
| Prince Edward Island | Not yet confirmed from an official page |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | The Smoke-free Environment Act prohibits e-cigarette use in indoor public places, workplaces and vehicles with under-16s. Source |
| Yukon | Yukon's Act applies vaping restrictions similar to those already in place for tobacco, with signs reading no vaping as well as no smoking. Source |
| Northwest Territories | Not yet confirmed from an official page |
| Nunavut | Not yet confirmed from an official page |
Cities
Cities can add rules for parks, patios and doorways, and for tobacco and vaping alike. Search them in the rules-by-city database.
What this table does not cover
It does not cover fines in every province, retail display rules or cannabis. See the laws by province page for the provincial detail.
Legal information only, not legal advice. Laws and bylaws change; confirm the current text in the official source before you rely on it. Read the full disclaimer.
Sources
- Tobacco and Vaping Products Act, full text — Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Nicotine Concentration in Vaping Products Regulations (SOR/2021-123) — Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Excise duty rates (tobacco and vaping duty rates) — Canada Revenue Agency. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Health Canada statement on use of vaping products by youth — Health Canada. Accessed October 27, 2026.