Local cannabis retailers are wondering what’s next after the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) announced they were putting all licence applications on hold.
In October, The Hive Cannabis Corp. and Canna Cabana retailers were given the go-ahead by the Town of Bonnyville, but now face a hiccup after a shortage of product has caused AGLC licence applications to be frozen.
“I’m kind of stuck in a holding pattern right now until they get this supply chain figured out,” exclaimed Kyle Sargent, owner of The Hive.
After hearing the news from the AGLC that his licence application was among the many that have been put on hold, Sargent made the decision to stop renovations to the store.
“I’m extremely disappointed about it, because we were 41 days away from opening. That’s not a possibility right now,” he stressed.
According to a statement issued by the AGLC president and CEO Alain Maisonneuve, since the legalization of recreational marijuana there has been a constant concern when it comes to supply.
“AGLC ordered enough product to support 250 retail stores in the first six months of legalization; however, as of Nov. 17, we have only received approximately 20 per cent of what we had ordered,” Maisonneuve said in the release. “While some licensed producers have fulfilled their commitments, not all have.”
With this in mind, the AGLC announced last week they would be “temporarily suspending accepting new applications and issuing any additional cannabis retail licences until further notice.”
For Sargent, it means not only is his future store put on hold, but so is the ability for area-residents to access marijuana locally.
“I speak to people every day on the recreational side of things who are looking for cannabis for some type of ailment, because of the lineups on the medical side are just so long and so tough to get in to see a doctor for. They were really hoping they would be able to find some relief on the retail side. Now that this has happened, Bonnyville is going to suffer,” he expressed.
The local business owner had plans to open his store on Jan. 2. Since there is no way of knowing when the suspension will be lifted, he has had to watch those dreams fade.
However, for Sargent, this was one of those situations where “being late to the party” wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
He said while he’s just waiting in the wings for confirmation his licence is approved, other retailers are suffering.
“The stores that are open have these huge amounts of overhead, and they don’t have any product to supply their customers. They’re bleeding money every month,” he noted.
The second recreational cannabis retail outlet looking to open up shop in town, Canna Cabana, was also going through the licensing application process.
The AGLC has offered to refund all licensing fees should a business wish to pull out of the process.
“We will continue to discuss production and shipping timelines with our licensed produces and meeting with all current retailers to discuss the current situation,” Maisonneuve stated. “On behalf of the AGLC, I thank everyone for their continued patience while we work through the national shortage of legal cannabis.”
