August 27, 2018 - Ottawa, ON - Department of Justice Canada

Keeping Canadians safe on our roads by combatting impaired driving is a top priority for the Government of Canada. The Government is very proud to have delivered on one of its key commitments to Canadians to strengthen laws to punish more severely those who drive while impaired by alcohol and drugs. It also has strengthened law enforcement’s ability to detect drug-impaired drivers by authorizing the use of roadside oral fluid screening equipment. To that end, law enforcement will now have access to an additional tool to help detect drug-impaired driving.

Today, following a 30-day public comment period, the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced that the first oral fluid drug screening equipment has been approved for use by law enforcement. The screening equipment will be used to detect the presence of THC, the main impairing component in cannabis, and cocaine in a driver who is suspected of having a drug in their body.

In making her decision, the Attorney General of Canada considered comments received from the public and a recommendation by the Drugs and Driving Committee (DDC) of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science, which evaluated this drug screening equipment against

DDC standards and evaluation procedures.

Law enforcement officers use their training to identify impaired drivers every day. They currently have a number of tools they can use to detect impaired driving, including Standard Field Sobriety Testing and Drug Recognition Expert Evaluation. This drug screening equipment, which will now be made available for use, provides an additional tool to law enforcement.

More types of drug screening equipment are expected to become available in the future as the DDC continues to evaluate other oral fluid drug screening equipment for use by law enforcement. If any others meet the evaluation standards of the DDC, they would then be recommended by the DDC for consideration by the Attorney General.

