It has been more than two months since the province of Alberta put a freeze on marijuana retail approvals, however, retailers that have committed to the community are weathering the storm.
In October of last year, marijuana became legal in Canada. In Drumheller Jaydee Bixby was already well on his way to setting up Badland Bud, and Clarity Cannabis was also working on two retail locations. In November, due to the government not being able to supply enough cannabis, it suspended issuing any further retail licenses. Because of this, residents do not have a retail location in Drumheller.
Sean Hayes of Clarity Cannabis says they have two locations selected in Drumheller and one is complete. Right now they are in a holding pattern.
“What the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is allowing us to do is go all the way up to final inspections, and we have passed final inspection on that property (on Centre Street). Now we are just waiting. They said the order of which you pass your inspection is the order of the queue,” he said. “No one really knows what they are really going to do… we all got blindsided by this.”
He says they are planning to open soon, despite not having their primary product.
“Hopefully we can open soon and sell cannabis accessories and then wait for the go-ahead from AGLC,” said Hayes.
He says Clarity Cannabis is in a position where they are able to sustain the delay while they await approvals, however some smaller operations may not be.
Bixby has been busy making sure his approvals are in place and if he gets the go-ahead, he says his shop can be up and running in a week. He feels the retailers should be the priority.
“The AGLC priorities are different. This is the first time that customers are able to go to the AGLC website and actually order cannabis and have it sent straight to their house, so in a sense, they are my biggest competition as well,” he said. “And they are the ones that are in charge of getting us our licenses. I am kind of disappointed they are selling online right now.”
Bixby has been working towards getting open for almost a year and says he feels fortunate to be in a jurisdiction like Drumheller with this delay. Other locations such as Calgary where rents are much higher, could make it harder for retailers to play the waiting game in hopes of getting an approval.
“A lot of folks are going bankrupt trying to hold on to their locations. Before you send in an application you have to have all of that and now to just be sitting in limbo,” he said.
He says they are looking at opening in the near future. He says once he’s an approved retailer he is not able to sell technology for growing marijuana, however as he waits for the approval he may begin selling grow lights and accessories to allow residents to begin cultivating their own marijuana.
He says everyone has the right to grow four plants in their home and that should be enough to provide a robust personal supply.
Bixby is hopeful it will be straightened out.
“It is still the first year, nobody thought it would go this way, but nobody thought it would be perfect either, but it is just a matter of holding on,” he said.
Hayes says consumers have the opportunity to express their concerns.
“If people are really concerned, feel free to reach out and put pressure on them (AGLC). As a consumer it is important,” Hayes said.
“I think there are good intentions with this, it is just unfortunate for the business owner and the consumers.”
