Current Cannabis Bylaws

I’ve had a few people ask me about laws surrounding the legalization of cannabis. Below are the highlights as I understand them. Any mistakes or omissions belong to me, not to Council or City staff.

An important note: Council has ordered a review of all municipal bylaws one year after legalization. At that time we will examine the impacts this has had in our community and potentially make adjustments to local regulation.

Locations for Cannabis Businesses

Highlights of Provincial and Federal Regulation

Requirements for securing facilities include alarms, video surveillance, and very strong storage areas in retail locations
Prohibition of minors, even when accompanied by adults
Store interiors cannot be visible from the street
Signage cannot promote sale to minors, intoxication, health effects, sports, or cultural events
Retailers can only purchase cannabis from the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC)
100m buffer between cannabis retailers and schools and provincial health care facilities
Cannabis retailers cannot sell alcohol, tobacco, or pharmaceuticals
Cannabis consumption is banned on the premises of a retailer

Highlights of Additional City Regulations

Cannabis Retail Stores listed as Discretionary Use with City staff having approval authority in Central Commercial, General Commercial, Arterial Commercial, Industrial Business, and General Industrial districts.
Cannabis Retails stores listed as Discretionary Use with Council's Infrastructure & Protective Services Committee having approval authority in Local Commercial and Commercial Transition districts.
Set the following buffers between Cannabis Retail Stores and other Land Uses:
- Elementary Schools: 150m
- High Schools: 300m
- Provincial Health Care Facilities: 100m
- Addiction Treatment Facilities: 100m
- Liquor Stores: 10m
A limit of 3 Cannabis Retail Stores in any 360m radius
In the Central Commercial District (ie: downtown), have a minimum separation distance of 180m between stores facing the same street
Set a 200m buffer between Cannabis Production and Distribution Facilities and the following
- Residential Land Use Districts
- Schools
- Addiction Treatment Facilities
Require Cannabis Production and Distribution Facilities to install air filtration systems to minimize odor impacts on adjacent properties

Cannabis Business Licensing

Highlights of Provincial and Federal Regulation

All cannabis business locations require licenses and strict oversite by the AGLC
Mandatory background checks for owners and workers. No licenses given to applicants linked to organized crime or drug crimes.
All staff must take a 4-6 hour AGLC course
Sales data must be reported to the AGLC monthly
Cannabis retailers may only be open from 10am - 2am

Highlights of Additional City Regulations

Retailers must provide the City with quarterly reports on their volume of cannabis sales
Cannabis Production and Distribution Facilities must pay the City a licensing fee of $500
Cannabis Retail Stores must pay the City a licensing fee of $2500
Limit Cannabis Retail Store hours to 10:00am - 12:00am
Only one Cannabis Retail business license per corporate entity will be issued

Personal (ie: At Home) Cultivation

Highlights of Provincial and Federal Regulations

A limit of four plants per residence
Prohibition on dangerous manufacturing proccesses
Reasonable measures taken to prevent theft and youth access

Highlights of Additional City Regulation

A municipal Cannabis Production Permit will be required for home cultivation.

Consumption

Highlights of Federal and Provincial Regulation

Consumption prohibited:

in vehicles
inside cannabis retail outlets
on school or hospital properties
within 4m of skate parks, outdoor pools, spray parks, and playgrounds