Reconsideration of cannabis retail business license cap possible in Grande Prairie

Grande Prairie City Council could have another chance to change the cap set for cannabis retail licenses.

They decided a maximum of 15 would be given out in the first year of legalization with a report back to committee on how it went at the end of the year. The city has already started the process on the proposed weed shops picked in a lottery-style draw in July. Since the process began, the city has heard pleas about scrapping the cap from potential marijuana store owners that weren’t selected during the selection.

“What we have heard is that there is a sense of unfairness. For those people who have been preparing to open a retail outlet, they have made some investment and may end up being stranded,” said Councillor Clyde Blackburn.

A briefing will be presented at an upcoming city council meeting by city administration on how their cap has impacted the process so far and where they are at with the initial intake of licenses.