221
Under the Federal government’s recreational cannabis legislation, the provinces and territories across the Country have been given the authority to determine how the retail sale of recreational cannabis will be conducted. Below you will find a review of what each of the provinces and territories has announced to date for their retail plans.
British Columbia
As discussed in February’s edition of CannaInvestor, British Columbia will implement both public and privately-run retail. Distribution of recreational cannabis will be run by the Liquor Distribution Branch (the “LDB”), while the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (the “LCLB”) will be responsible for licensing and monitoring the stores. Licenses will be awarded for either self-contained cannabis stores or stores in rural communities. The Province will launch its application portal in the Spring for private licensing.
Alberta
Alberta will have privately run retail stores and government-operated online sales. Physical retail locations will be subject to government regulations and the terms of licenses will be granted by the Alcohol Gaming and Liquor Commission (“AGLC”). The AGLC will also be responsible for regulating distribution to all private retailers.
The ALGC began accepting retail cannabis store license applications on March 6, 2018 and will continue to do so on a rolling basis. All applicants will be subject to extensive mandatory background checks which we expect will take a significant amount of time.
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, retail will be private as well. The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (“SLGA”) stated that it will grant 60 permits for 40 municipalities and First Nations. Initial allocation of permits will be for populations of at least 2,500. Larger communities will be allocated additional permits. Eligible First Nations and municipalities will have an option to opt-out of having a retail cannabis store in their community, so final numbers will depend on that. Wholesaling will also be conducted by the private sector.
The selection process will be done in three phases. The first phase will be initial screening for financial capacity and the ability for proponents to track