Psilocybin law in Canada
Medical or authorised prescribing Checked 4 October 2026
Psilocybin is illegal in Canada except with Health Canada authorisation (section 56 exemptions or Special Access Program requests, case by case). Police continue to raid and charge open psilocybin businesses, including the 2025 York Region 'Project Magic' case, so Canada fails the tolerated test.
A doctor or psychiatrist may give or prescribe psilocybin to patients under a medical programme or a case-by-case authorisation. It is not open to retreats or adult use. A summary of published sources, not legal advice.
What the sources say
- Health Canada: "The production, sale and possession of magic mushrooms are illegal in Canada". Activities with psilocybin and psilocin are illegal under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act unless Health Canada authorises them. [Psilocybin and psilocin (Magic mushrooms), Health Canada, 2025-10-08, read 28 September 2026]
- Amendments in force on 5 January 2022 (SOR/2021-271) let practitioners request restricted drugs such as psilocybin through the Special Access Program for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. Health Canada's February 2023 notice describes case-by-case, patient-specific requests, with the drug used in the practitioner's presence. [Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Relating to Restricted Drugs (Special Access Program), SOR/2021-271, Canada Gazette Part II, 2022-01-05, read 28 September 2026] [Notice to stakeholders: Requests to the SAP involving psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, Health Canada, 2023-02-27, read 28 September 2026]
- In April 2025 York Regional Police (Project Magic) arrested 13 people and reported more than CAD 3.5 million in psychedelic drugs seized in an investigation into the FunGuyz magic mushroom store chain. [13 arrested, 2 at large after more than $3.5 million of psychedelic drugs seized in York Region, CP24, 2025-04-17, read 4 October 2026]
- In July and August 2023 the SPVM searched the FunGuyz store in Montreal three times, arresting eight people and seizing about 4 kg of psilocybin, edibles and tablets. [Montreal police arrest eight people, seize money and magic mushrooms over three raids at 'FunGuyz', CTV News Montreal, 2023-08-04, read 4 October 2026] [Le SPVM devoile l'ampleur des perquisitions realisees chez FunGuyz, Noovo Info, 2023-08-04, read 4 October 2026]
- Reason for exclusion: condition 3 fails. Openly operating psilocybin businesses are raided and charged, and the existing medical-only status (Health Canada authorisation) is the accurate description of lawful access. [13 arrested, 2 at large after more than $3.5 million of psychedelic drugs seized in York Region, CP24, 2025-04-17, read 4 October 2026] [Montreal police arrest eight people, seize money and magic mushrooms over three raids at 'FunGuyz', CTV News Montreal, 2023-08-04, read 4 October 2026]
Dated changes
- 27 February 2023: Health Canada published a notice describing Special Access Program requests involving psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as case-by-case and patient-specific, with the drug used in the practitioner's presence. Source
- 5 January 2022: Amendments (SOR/2021-271) came into force letting practitioners request restricted drugs such as psilocybin through the Special Access Program for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. Source
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