AGLC issuing 26 more cannabis retail licences

An improving supply of marijuana has led Alberta Gaming Liquor Cannabis to begin issuing 26 more retail licences.

That easing of a moratorium on the permits will bring the total number of cannabis shops in the province able to sell the drug to 101.

In a letter sent to prospective retailers on Thursday, AGLC officials said the availability of cannabis from licensed producers has risen sufficiently to allow the opening of more stores but not enough to lift the moratorium imposed last November due to supply constraints.

“While AGLC’s inventory levels have seen improvement, it is not stable enough to fully open the licensing process or accept new retail cannabis applications,” states the letter signed by Dave Berry, the AGLC’s vice-president of regulatory services.

Those receiving the permits were next in the AGLC queue that have also received approvals at other levels, it stated.

On Thursday morning, AGLC officials wouldn’t comment on the move or say where the licences were being granted.

Prior to the release of the latest permits, 24 stores in Calgary had been granted one.

Last January, the commission released 10 licences after seeing a modest improvement in the supply situation.

One of those receiving a licence is Okotok’s Micro Gold Cannabis which opted to begin selling paraphernalia last December while waiting for a permit to market marijuana.

“We’re elated, excited,” said store co-owner Beverly Gilbert.

“We’ve been saving our pennies, making sure everything was running, our staff has been trained, we’re all ready to go.”

Micro Gold, she said, has been able to weather the licensing delay better than others whose retail space has at empty since recreational cannabis legalization went into effect last October.

“It’s been a hardship for them, but we’ve had the wherewithal,” said Gilbert.

“We thought we could be out for a year, that was our drop-dead date.”

Her store, she said, could have cannabis to sell in about a week.

Gilbert said one of the licences has been issued to family members who are opening a store in Medicine Hat.

In the letter to retailers, the AGLC said it would issue more licences as soon as it can.

“As always, we are analyzing our supply situation regularly and will issue more licences as our inventory grows and the marketplace can sustain additional retailers,” it stated.

“We know the current situation is challenging and we assure you we are diligently working to limit the impact it is having on this emerging industry in Alberta.”

The AGLC has contracts with 23 licensed producers and is seeking more, said the commission which regulates the business while also operating the province’s only legal online cannabis outlet.

Alberta has by far the largest number of cannabis retail locations in the country.

Last year, the AGLC said it hoped to license up to 250 outlets throughout the province by late 2019.

More to come…..

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on Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn