Ontario law only allows smoking or vaping in hotel guest rooms the management has designated for it, and each hotel sets its own policy on top. Here is what to check before you book.
In Ontario, you can only smoke or vape cannabis in a hotel, motel or inn guest room that the management has designated for smoking or vaping. Smoking or vaping in any other guest room, or in the hotel's indoor public spaces, is not allowed, and each hotel's own policy can be stricter still, so ask before you book.
Hotel policies vary. Whether a property offers designated rooms at all is up to the hotel, and its policy may say something specific about cannabis. This guide explains the provincial rule, the city rules around the building, and the questions worth asking at the front desk.
What Ontario law says about hotel rooms
Ontario's where you can't smoke or vape page sets out the rule for hotels, motels and inns:
- Smoking and vaping are only allowed in fully enclosed guest rooms that the management has designated for smoking and/or vaping.
- Only registered guests and their invited guests may smoke or vape in those rooms.
- Smoking and vaping are not allowed on or around hotel playgrounds.
The same page defines smoking to include holding lighted tobacco or cannabis, and applies the vaping rules to vaping anything. In other words, the hotel rules cover cannabis exactly as they cover tobacco.
Ontario's cannabis laws page lists "designated smoking guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns" among the places you can smoke or vape, and non-designated guest rooms among the places you cannot. The page also notes that property owner policies may add further restrictions.
The rest of the property
Guest rooms are only part of a hotel. Here is how the rules apply to the spaces around them.
| Part of the hotel | The rule |
|---|---|
| Non-designated guest rooms | Smoking and vaping not allowed |
| Designated smoking or vaping rooms | Allowed for registered guests and invited guests, subject to hotel policy |
| Lobbies, restaurants and other enclosed public areas | Ontario prohibits smoking and vaping in enclosed public places and workplaces |
| Restaurant or bar patio | Not allowed, including public areas within 9 metres of the patio |
| Hotel playground | Not allowed on or around it |
| Building entrances and exits | Toronto bylaw prohibits smoking within nine metres of public building entrances |
On that last point, Toronto's Chapter 709 smoking bylaw applies to lit tobacco or cannabis within a nine metre radius of any entrance or exit of a public building, which it defines as an enclosed building the public and employees generally have access to. The part of that zone on a public sidewalk or road is excluded. The City's page notes that this bylaw does not extend to vaping.
What about forms other than smoking and vaping?
The provincial hotel rule is written about smoking and vaping. A hotel can still set its own policy on cannabis on its property, as the province notes that property owner policies may add further restrictions. If you plan to bring any cannabis product into a hotel, read the hotel's policy or ask the front desk how it applies.
Hotel policies vary, so ask before you book
Because each property decides whether to offer designated rooms, the most reliable answer comes from the hotel itself. Useful questions:
- Does the hotel have guest rooms designated for smoking or vaping?
- Does that designation cover cannabis as well as tobacco?
- What does the policy say about cannabis on the property generally?
- What happens if a guest breaches the smoking policy?
Get the answer in writing, such as in your booking confirmation or by email, if it matters to your plans.
Short-term rentals are different
If you are staying in a condo or apartment rental rather than a hotel, different layers apply. Ontario prohibits smoking and vaping in the indoor common areas of condos and apartment buildings, including elevators, hallways, lobbies and parking garages. Inside the unit, the building's declaration, by-laws or rules and the host's own rules may restrict it. Our guide to cannabis in Toronto condos and rentals explains how those layers work.
Cars and boats are never an option
If a room is not designated, a parked car can seem like a fallback. It is not. Ontario's cannabis laws say no one may consume cannabis, whether by smoking, vaping or eating, in a vehicle or boat that is being driven or will be driven. Never drive impaired.
Buying near downtown hotels
If you are staying downtown, Sugar Beach Cannabis is a licensed store at 192 Queens Quay East. Here is roughly how far we are from some central landmarks:
| From | Walk |
|---|---|
| Union Station | about 20 min |
| King and Bay | about 20 min |
| Scotiabank Arena | about 20 min |
| Harbourfront Centre | about 25 min |
| St. Lawrence Market | about 12 min |
Order from the live menu, then pay and pick up in store with government-issued photo ID. We serve adults 19 and over only, and we are a pickup store. Every product shows a regular price and a lower member price.
If you are visiting from outside Canada, read visiting Toronto and buying cannabis legally for the ID, possession and border rules. Cannabis cannot be taken across the Canadian border, so buy only what you need for your stay.
Responsible use in a hotel
- Start low and go slow with anything new, especially in an unfamiliar place.
- Keep products sealed, labelled and out of reach of children in the room.
- Do not leave products where housekeeping or other guests could mistake them for regular food.
- For medical questions, talk to a healthcare provider.
For the wider rules across the city, see where you can smoke cannabis in Toronto.
Visit Sugar Beach Cannabis
Find us at 192 Queens Quay East, Unit A5, Toronto, ON M5A 3Y4, beside Sherbourne Common on the waterfront, about a 20-minute walk from Union Station. Order online and pick up in store from our live menu. For questions about products or ID, use the contact page, call 437-780-0285, or read more about us.
Frequently asked questions
Can you smoke weed in a Toronto hotel room?
Only if the room is a fully enclosed guest room the hotel's management has designated for smoking or vaping. Ontario prohibits smoking or vaping in non-designated guest rooms, and hotel policies can be stricter.
Can you vape cannabis in a hotel room in Ontario?
The same rule applies: vaping is only allowed in guest rooms designated for smoking and/or vaping. Ontario's vaping rules apply to vaping anything, including cannabis.
Can I smoke cannabis outside my hotel's front door in Toronto?
Toronto's Chapter 709 bylaw prohibits smoking lit tobacco or cannabis within nine metres of the entrances and exits of public buildings, excluding the part of that zone on a public sidewalk or road. Ontario also prohibits smoking on patios and within 9 metres of them.
Do all Toronto hotels have smoking rooms?
No. Designating smoking or vaping rooms is up to each hotel, and policies vary. Ask the hotel directly, ideally in writing, before you book.
This article is general information about cannabis rules and products in Ontario, not legal or medical advice. Rules change: check the official sources linked above. Cannabis is for adults 19+. Never drive impaired.
