City Council scraps cap for retail cannabis outlets

Sep 10, 2018 | 11:02 PM

Grande Prairie City Council unanimously voted to remove a previously established cap on business licenses for retail cannabis distributors.

Mayor Bill Given says even with the cap of 15 licenses removed, there are still protocols that businesses have to follow in order to sell cannabis come fall.

“So, you have to meet the provincial requirements. Then after you meet the provincial requirements you have to come to the City for a business license to operate. Ultimately, when you go to locate in a specific spot you need to get a development permit for that.”

Given adds some proposed locations from previous businesses in weeks past were declined because a neighborhood objected to it.

The Mayor says while it is an open market, there are factors in play for how many businesses will end up applying to be cannabis outlets for the first year.

“The number of cannabis locations will be determined by the amount of interest there is from private operators, the number of people that want to open stores and the number of physical locations that meet the appropriate setbacks. Those would be the two main limitations on the number of outlets.”

Council stated factors such as product controllability, safety measures and it’s good for the local economy as the main reasons why they voted in favour to scrap the cap.

Given adds this is only for the first year after cannabis becomes legal in Canada which is set to be on October 17th.

by Brady Ratzlaff