More topics

Pill press introduction, guidelines, role of Registrar

Last updated on September 16, 2021

Pill Press and Related Controlled Equipment Act

The Pill Press and Related Equipment Control Act (the “Act”) and the Pill Press and Related Equipment Control Regulation (the “Regulation”) control who may own, possess, or use Controlled Equipment (see section 7.1) in British Columbia. The legislation creates a system for registering and tracking Controlled Equipment throughout its lifecycle. The purpose of this legislation is to support BC’s actions to prevent the illegal production of illicit opioids, bolster police efforts to disrupt the supply chain, and help to get counterfeit pills off the streets.

Pill Press Registry

To administer the Act, the Province has established a Pill Press Online Registry to maintain an inventory of Controlled Equipment. The Pill Press Online Registry has a landing page that guides the three Owner Category users (Authorized Owner, Waiver Holder, Registered Seller) to the relevant application links. The portal also contains interactive screens that allow clients to update business information, review Owner Category information, and Controlled Equipment inventories.

All Pill Press applications/notifications must be submitted online through the Pill Press Online Registry: https://justice.gov.bc.ca/pillpressregistry/

How the Policy Manual is Organized

This Policy Manual is divided into 9 sections:

  • Section 1: Introduction, Guidelines regarding the use of Policy Manual, role of Registrar
  • Section 2: Policies relating to the Authentication Process for Businesses
  • Section 3: Policies regarding the Pill Press Online Registry
  • Section 4: Policies relating to the Authorized Owner Category
  • Section 5: Policies relating to the Waiver Owner Category
  • Section 6: Policies relating to the Registered Seller* Owner Category
  • Section 7: Policies relating to Controlled Equipment Notification
  • Section 8: Policies regarding Reporting & Recording Requirements
  • Section 9: Policies regarding Reconsiderations & Complaints

How to Use the Policies

This document outlines the policies related to the Pill Press program under the Act.  These policies were developed to coincide with the Act coming into force on January 15, 2019. The policies are compiled for use by Security Programs Division (SPD) staff but may also be used as a reference document by the public.

Although the policies refer throughout to the Act and Regulation, they do not duplicate the provisions of the legislation. This means that anyone who wishes to refer to  these policies should also review applicable provisions of the Act and Regulation, as well as the information contained on the public website located at: www.gov.bc.ca/pill-press for a comprehensive understanding of the Pill Press program. If there is a conflict between the policies and the legislation, the Act and Regulation prevail.

Role of the Registrar

The Registrar is appointed by the Minister under section 13 of the Act. The Act assigns a number of powers and responsibilities to the Registrar, including:

  • The power to grant Authorized Owner confirmations, and Waiver Holder or Registered Seller certificates
  • The power to set the form and manner of applications
  • The power to impose limits and conditions on confirmations and certificates
  • The power to refuse to grant, cancel or suspend confirmations or certificates
  • The responsibility for dealing with complaints
  • The power to take enforcement action under the Act

*A Registered Seller is called “Authorized Seller” under the Act; however, the term “Registered Seller” has been chosen for ease of reference and operational purposes.