Thinking about opening a retail operation?

If you are serious and are interested in pursuing retail operations you might want to check this out first before you do.

I use to dream about opening my own dispensary till I attended the academy, the amount of work and investment required is exhausting, so my hats off to those to did it legally, its hard work.

I am going to share with you a brief summary what is involved in the process to become a retail operations in Ontario Canada, Cannabis Retail Regulations, Licensing

and Application Requirements, if you are interested I do offer training documents to get you prepared for the academy, so reach out to me and we can go over the details, here is the outline:

• The Cannabis Act

• Cannabis Retail Landscape

• Application Process

Cannabis Retail Regulations

• Determine the similarities and differences between medical and recreational cannabis.

• Understand which companies can sell medical or recreational cannabis.

• Highlight the responsibilities of the Federal Government in overseeing the rollout of recreational cannabis

Cannabis Retail Landscape

Applications for a Cannabis Retail License is primarily being

handled by the liquor and gaming control boards of each province.

With provincial regulations varying from full privatization to government-run cannabis stores, retailers must tailor their strategies to geographic-specific legislation and opportunities to

create your own private retail cannabis business is limited by the province you plan to operate in. Although you are still able to work at a cannabis retail store in provinces that have a crown corporation model (government), you will not be able to start your own cannabis retail business in these provinces. Because of the fragmented retail system in Canada, hopeful

cannabis retail owners must tailor their business strategies to reflect the various operational differences of each province.

This is especially true if you plan on being a multi-provincial operator. The biggest challenge for operators in multiple provinces will be delivering a consistent customer experience across vast distances while adhering to the different regulations established in each jurisdiction. Establishing a national brand is not easy.

The legalization of cannabis is a process, and cannabis retail is no different.

Drastic changes to regulations happen from one day to the next requiring companies to be flexible and possess the ability to think and pivot quickly. This includes changes in the current

legislation/regulations, new product category introductions (edibles, concentrates, topicals),

specialization, new taxation laws and constantly shifting customer preferences.

It is important to familiarize yourself with the specific provincial and municipal laws that govern the jurisdiction you plan to operate in. Failure to comply could result in severe penalties and the revocation of your retail license.

Application Process in Ontario

The AGCO requires all applicants to provide detailed

information, including copies of any agreements with another

party, regarding the following matters with respect to another

party’s interests in the applicant or the operations or proposed

operations of the applicant, including:

• Advice

• Expertise

• Management services

• Operation

• Revenue-sharing

• Franchising

• Construction

• Store Location

• Financing

• Supply

• Control

• Fixtures

• Marketing

• Lease

• Sale

Did You Know?

Although the information required in relation to third-party agreements has been updated, it is still largely the same and any agreements entered into with any other entity, needs to be

disclosed immediately.

Did you also know?

Outside of opening the application process and ending the lottery system, the AGCO also

decided to phase in limits on the number of authorized stores a license holder can have (10 in the first year), to ensure fair access for retailers while creating medium and long-term market

certainty. They also have enabled retailers to sell additional cannabis-related items such as

cannabis-related magazines and cookbooks. They also now allow click-and-collect sales

This is just a brief amount of information involved, there is still...

• Licensing Requirements

• Municipal Bylaws and Zoning Restrictions

• Store Requirements

• Security Requirements

it can be extremely exhausting, but if you go the go, drive, and desire, you'll do great, I know a lot of professionals who went the distance and its paid off, well it paid off till the pop up shops came a long and cut into the legal business, but that train won't last either for that group, read more about it in this story....What ever happened to HC cracking down on illegal shops?