Inside Bill C-286: Canada's Proposed Path to Medical Psilocybin Legalization

On June 16, 2026, Conservative MP Corey Tochor introduced Bill C-286 in the House of Commons to make amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and Food and Drugs Act. In particular, it aims to allow psilocybin and psilocin, the active compounds found in what are commonly known as "magic mushrooms", to be used for medical treatment in accordance with the Narcotic Control Regulations.

One of the main purposes of the bill is to create a more direct regulated pathway for medical access to psilocybin and psilocin. Tochor has said the bill is intended to allow physicians to prescribe psilocybin treatment to their patients rather than relying on the existing special-access process. Second, the legislation would provide for the automatic approval of requests for priority review for certain new drugs containing psilocybin or psilocin. This could accelerate the review of potential psilocybin medicines while maintaining Health Canada's drug-approval process.

The proposed legislation could therefore create a more direct pathway for patients seeking psilocybin-based treatments while accelerating the review of potential new medicines. However, psilocybin products would still be subject to regulatory requirements intended to assess their safety, efficacy and quality before being authorized for sale. Health Canada currently states that there are no approved therapeutic products containing psilocybin in Canada and that, although some clinical trials have shown promising results, the evidence remains limited.

Research into the potential use of psilocybin in mental-health treatment has produced promising findings for conditions including depression and anxiety. When used in palliative-care settings, research has also examined whether psilocybin-assisted therapy may reduce depression, anxiety and end-of-life distress among people with life-threatening illnesses.

Currently, legal access to psilocybin for therapeutic purposes in Canada may be available through clinical trials, an individual exemption under section 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, or Health Canada's Special Access Program (SAP). Under the SAP, a healthcare practitioner must submit a request on a patient's behalf. The program is intended for serious or life-threatening conditions where conventional treatments have failed, are unsuitable or are unavailable, and requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Regulatory changes that took effect in January 2022 restored the possibility for healthcare practitioners to request access to restricted drugs, including psilocybin and MDMA, through the SAP. For psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, practitioners must provide information supporting the proposed use of the drug and comply with applicable regulatory requirements. Health Canada emphasizes that an SAP authorization does not constitute a general finding that a drug is safe, effective or of high quality; rather, it permits access in the circumstances of a particular medical emergency.

Concerns have nevertheless been raised about the accessibility of the current case-by-case system. According to data cited by Roots to Thrive, an educational and therapeutic nonprofit program, between 2022 and late 2024, "there were 471 total SAP applications submitted to access psilocybin or MDMA for therapeutic use in Canada. Of these, only about 318 were approved" (Tsang et al., 2026). For patients experiencing serious or life-threatening illnesses, delays or unsuccessful applications can have significant consequences.

These concerns are illustrated by the experience of Saskatchewan resident Thomas Hartle, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and became the first Canadian to receive a section 56 exemption in 2020 to access psilocybin-assisted therapy. Hartle's experience navigating access to psychedelic-assisted therapy became an important influence on Bill C-286, which Tochor referred to as "Thomas's bill" when introducing it in the House of Commons.

After receiving an initial medical exemption, Hartle sought continued access to psilocybin treatment. According to accounts of his experience, he faced significant delays and later relied on the Special Access Program. The requirements associated with obtaining treatment through the existing system made continued access difficult. Hartle died in 2024.

His experience formed part of the rationale offered by supporters of Bill C-286 for creating a more direct regulated pathway for medical psilocybin. When introducing the bill, Tochor said Hartle had accessed psilocybin through Health Canada's special-access system and argued that physicians should have greater ability to prescribe psilocybin treatment to their patients.

At the same time, questions remain about how expanded medical access would interact with Canada's drug-approval and safety framework. Health Canada currently states that no therapeutic products containing psilocybin have been approved in Canada. It says their safety, efficacy and quality have therefore not undergone the scientific review required for authorization for sale. The department describes clinical trials as the most appropriate way to advance research into unapproved psilocybin products while protecting patient health and safety.

Psilocybin can also produce psychological and physical effects, including anxiety and fear, and Health Canada has emphasized the importance of an appropriate setting when psychedelic drugs are used in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. These considerations form part of the broader debate over how Canada could expand access while maintaining safeguards around the use of an unapproved drug.

What comes next? Bill C-286 received first reading in the House of Commons on June 16, 2026. It is a private member's bill and has not yet proceeded to second reading. Its next steps will depend on the parliamentary process and scheduling.