Alberta has announced several changes to their retail cannabis regulations that will come into force on January 31, 2024, including allowing cannabis retailers to operate temporary sales locations at adult-only events like trade shows and festivals.
Other changes include allowing cannabis retailers to keep their products in locked display cases when the store is closed rather than moving these products into a secured storage room at the close of every business day, and removing restrictions on sales and transfers between cannabis retailers to further allow Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) to establish resale markup limits.
“We’ve been looking at the cannabis market to determine what’s working, what needs to be improved, and what’s redundant or unnecessary while protecting public health and safety,” said Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction.
“These changes are the result of our latest work to help curb the illegal cannabis industry and continue providing choices Albertans can trust.”
In response to a request for comment, a media representative for the AGLC tells StratCann that the “policies and processes to support cannabis licensees who are interested in operating temporary sales locations are in development and will be shared with cannabis stakeholders prior to the implementation date.”
Raj Grover, founder & CEO of High Tide Inc., which operates numerous cannabis stores in Alberta and across Canada, said he’s pleased by the announcements.
“I am thrilled with these common-sense changes, such as allowing cannabis retailers to operate temporary sales locations for adults at festivals and trade shows. The removal of unnecessary red tape for the cannabis industry will safeguard the tens of thousands of jobs that have been created since legalization.”
Nathan Mison, the president of Diplomat Consulting, who helped lobby for these changes, says they have been in the planning stage for some time now. All three changes, he argues, will be very beneficial for the Alberta retail sector, from allowing cannabis sales at events, to saving retailers money by not needing to dedicate staff hours to moving product each night and morning, to being able to shift products between stores.
POUR LIRE LA SUITE: StratCann