Alberta is changing provincial cannabis regulations to “give retailers more time to focus on their business, while ensuring health, safety, and security remain a top priority.”

The Alberta government made the announcement in December 2023 in a media release titled, “Reducing red tape for cannabis retailers.”

On January 31, 2024, the following improvements to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation will come into force:

• Licensed cannabis retailers can operate temporary sales locations at adults-only events like trade shows and festivals.
• Cannabis retailers can keep their products in locked display cases when the store is closed rather than moving everything into a secured storage room at the close of every business day.
• Restrictions are removed on sales and transfers between cannabis retailers and to further allow Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis to establish resale markup limits.

Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, was quoted as saying, “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. These changes are the result of our latest work to help curb the illegal cannabis industry and continue providing choices Albertans can trust.”

Stratcann, one of Canada’s cannabis news platforms, reported, “…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.’”

The CBC reported, “In Edmonton and Calgary, city bylaws already allow smoking or vaping cannabis at outdoor festivals and public events, but only in designated areas. And in those cases, selling cannabis on site isn’t allowed… The changes will allow licensed cannabis retailers to set up temporary sales at adults-only events, like trade shows and festivals. They also ease some of the restrictions around how store owners can transfer product between different locations and lift the requirement to store product in a secure area off the shop floor while the store is closed.”

Cannabis in Alberta is regulated by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) ministry.

To read the Alberta government media release visit: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=89500F3BC265B-E9F5-13F7-DA8506A53DD281BE

To read the Stratcann article visit: https://stratcann.com/news/alberta-announces-several-changes-to-retail-cannabis-regulations-through-red-tape-reduction/

To read the CBC article visit: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-to-allow-cannabis-sales-at-adults-only-events-1.7064117

For more information about cannabis in Alberta visit: https://aglc.ca/