The Canadian province of Alberta has announced plans to implement a swathe of changes to its retail cannabis regulations, including giving permission to cannabis retailers to operate temporary sales locations at trade-shows and festivals.
The new changes, set to become effective from January 31, 2024, have been welcomed by the industry at large, with Canadian cannabis producer Organigram stating it ​​marked ‘a significant step forward in reducing red tape and increasing operational efficiency.’
Additionally, retailers can now keep cannabis products in locked display cases when closed, eliminating the need to transfer them to secured storage daily.
The revisions aim to reduce unnecessary regulations, support the legal cannabis industry, and promote job preservation.
Other recent changes in Alberta’s cannabis rules include increased flexibility in store names, simplified age verification for online cannabis websites, reduced fees for licensed producers and retailers, removal of window covering requirements, and the allowance of sample distribution at cannabis events.
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will also provide producers with regional sales reports, promoting transparency in the cannabis market.
This marks the latest positive development from the state, which removed the requirement for window coverings for cannabis retailers in 2022, alongside allowing retailers to hand out samples at events and reducing the SKU listing fees for cannabis producers significantly.
