Regulations Amending the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations: SOR/2026-44
Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 160, Number 6
Registration
SOR/2026-44 March 9, 2026
CRIMINAL CODE
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations under paragraph 204(9)(d)footnote a of the Criminal Code footnote b.
Ottawa, March 3, 2026
Heath MacDonald
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Regulations Amending the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations
Amendments
1 Paragraph 1(d) of the schedule to the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations footnote 1 is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
- Apomorphine (Apomorphine)
| 2 | Drug | Quantitative Limit in Urine | Quantitative Limit in Blood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic (Arsenic) | 300 ng/mL | 15 ng/mL | |
| Cobalt (Cobalt) | 100 ng/mL | 25 ng/mL | |
| Furosemide (Furosémide) | n/a | 85 ng/mL (only horses on an EIPH list) | |
| Salicylic acid (Acide salicylique) | 750 µg/mL | 6.5 µg/mL |
Coming into Force
3 These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.
REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT
(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)
Issues
Drugs and medications administered to race horses could affect the outcome of a pari-mutuel race. Drugs that are approved veterinary medications for sale in Canada may be administered to a horse; however, with few exceptions — such as vitamins and some antiparasitic and antimicrobial agents — they must not be present in a horse’s system when it races.
Background
The Regulations, made pursuant to section 204 of the Criminal Code, protect the integrity of pari-mutuel betting on horse races, and include a schedule of prohibited substances which must not be present in a horse’s system when it races. Maintaining a current list of prohibited drugs is essential for ensuring the outcome of races is not inappropriately influenced by the unauthorized administration of drugs and medicaments to race horses.
Objective
The objective is to amend the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations to maintain an effective barrier against the exploitation of drugs or medicaments that could influence the outcome of a pari-mutuel race.
Description
These amendments add the drug apomorphine, a dopamine agonist that can affect numerous physical and mental functions, to paragraph 1(d) of the schedule of prohibited drugs in the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations (the Regulations). They also add a quantitative limit for the amount of arsenic permitted in equine blood samples to section 2 of the schedule. Additionally, the amendments seek to clarify the quantitative limit section of the schedule by specifying that the listed limits apply to either blood or urine samples, as appropriate.
Regulatory development
Consultation
The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) consults with its drug advisory committee, which consists of industry veterinarians, pharmacologists and chemists, when proposing to add a drug to the schedule of the Regulations. The committee supports these amendments.
Additions to the schedule are routine and non-controversial, should there be reason to believe their administration may influence the performance of a race horse.
Indigenous engagement, consultation and modern treaty obligations
These amendments are administrative in nature and do not have direct or indirect impacts on Indigenous communities or modern treaty obligations.
Instrument choice
There are no appropriate alternatives.
Regulatory analysis
Benefits and costs
The impact of these amendments will be positive because the prohibition of a potential performance-altering drug will continue to protect the bettor, the integrity of the racing industry, and the credibility of the CPMA Equine Drug Control Program.
There are no significant costs or environmental impacts associated with these regulatory amendments.
Small business lens
Analysis under the small business lens concluded that the amendments will not impact Canadian small businesses.
One-for-one rule
The one-for-one rule does not apply, as there is no incremental change in administrative burden on business and no regulatory titles are repealed or introduced.
Regulatory cooperation and alignment
These amendments to the schedule of prohibited drugs are consistent with North American horse racing jurisdictions.
Effects on the environment
In accordance with the Cabinet Directive on Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment, these amendments have been exempted from the requirement to complete a strategic environmental and economic assessment, as this is a matter of routine or administrative procedure with a low likelihood of important environmental or economic effects.
Gender-based analysis plus
No impacts based on gender and other identity factors have been identified for these amendments.
Implementation, compliance and enforcement, and service standards
Information on additions to the schedule is provided to all industry sectors so that they know which substances to avoid when treating horses scheduled to race.
Compliance with the CPMA’s Equine Drug Control Program is accomplished by testing post-race samples of urine or blood taken from race horses. Positive results are reported to provincial racing commissions for appropriate action under their rules of racing.
These amendments will not increase the current requirements for compliance and enforcement activities.
Provincial regulators and other stakeholders will be advised through email and industry-targeted media.
Contact
Michael Ryan
Manager
Research and Analysis
Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
P.O. Box 5904, LCD Merivale
Ottawa, Ontario
K2C 3X7
Telephone: 613‑949‑0718
Fax: 613‑949‑1538
Email: aafc.cpmawebacpm.aac@agr.gc.ca