Not all business owners have thought about getting into the drug industry, but with new cannabis regulations from the Province of Alberta, they could soon be in the marijuana market.
Earlier this month, the provincial government released their regulations for private cannabis retailers in Alberta. This is the first time potential future cannabis-providers, and the municipalities that will regulate them, have caught a glimpse of the policy.
The guidelines outline who can own and operate cannabis storefronts, where they can be located, and safety and security requirements.
Provincial regulations require all cannabis storefront owners and their employees to undergo mandatory background checks, along with any necessary training.
The province has also put a limit to the amount of licences a person, group, or organization can hold within Alberta. That number has been set at 15 per cent.
Stores must be a minimum of 100-metres from any school or provincial healthcare facility.
The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will be providing details in terms of the licensing process for potential cannabis retailers, with applications being accepted starting March 6.
Although these regulations have been provincially put in place, municipalities still have the power to amend certain aspects to better suite their community.
City of Cold Lake Mayor Craig Copeland said, “I think one size doesn't fit all. You have to adapt and every community is going to look at this whole issue of selling cannabis.”
For Cold Lake, the one area they will be reviewing is the buffer zone between schools and healthcare facilities and storefronts.
“What's important here, is finding balance between the municipalities and the retailers,” expressed Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr. “I believe, municipalities really do need the opportunity to have clear input on how this is going to work.”
Mayor of Bonnyville Gene Sobolewski wanted to see “more specific” guidelines.
He believes the province has created very broad regulations, and is leaving it up to the municipalities to “customize their bylaws specific to what needs there are.”
Sobolewski continued, “Which is a good thing, in a certain respect. But, I would have liked to see a little more definition, so everything is the same across the board in terms of how you manage cannabis.”
There are a few areas of the provincial regulations where Cyr has some concern, particularly when it comes to keeping the drug out of the hands of youth.
“I like that they have acknowledged that we need to be very cautious in terms of where we put these retail outlets. Specifically, it can't be near any schools. I think this is an important fact,” he said. “What we need to be ensuring is the youth have limited access to this. They will find ways, but we need to be very clear that there are consequences.”
Cyr urges any business owner interested in applying for a cannabis permit to take their time and make sure they do it properly the first time around.
He said, once a permit has been rejected, it can be difficult for them to get approved the second time they apply.
“It looks like they're going to be some sort of due diligence. If businesses are looking at moving in this direction, they need to be getting a lot of the information that they're looking for very clearly laid out,” he said. “I think what they need to be doing is ensuring they get all of their ducks in a row before they apply.”
Another aspect of the regulations Cyr wants business owners to keep in mind, is the consequences of selling to anyone under the age of 18.
“Retailers putting this forward need to understand that there is going to be clear consequences if they're caught selling this to a youth,” Cyr expressed. “This is not like alcohol. This is completely different. It affects a youth's brain in a different way.”
This is one of the reasons he supports the buffer zone presented by the provincial government.
He stated, “I like that the government is identifying places where they can't put them. I also think we need very clear legislation put out that says if a retailer is caught selling cannabis to a youth, there are very strong consequences for that.”
The drug won't be available for door-to-door service, something Cyr believes the provincial government will have to tackle later down the line.
“When it comes to residents, I'm sure the big thing that is going to come up right away, is that there won't be any door-to-door sales,” he added. “This is going to be living legislation. We're going to have to adapt when we find challenges.”
Once the drug is made available, the struggle municipalities and police forces face is judging impairment.
Driving while under the influence of cannabis is one of Cyr's biggest concerns.
“Road safety is the one thing our residents need to be very cognizant of. If you're going to do it, do it in your home, and make sure you have enough time for the effects of that drug to wear off. I really want to make sure all of our families that use our roads are safe. It's hard to do if you're impaired,” expressed Cyr.
What it all boils down to, is giving municipalities, businesses, and residents a chance to have their say about the legalization of marijuana.
Cyr concluded, “What's important here, is all groups get their say in exactly how this is going to get distributed. I believe it's important that the one thing we do is prevent our youth from having access to this, because it is so destructive… We need to make sure this is done right the first time.”
