Preparing for Cannabis Legalization

April 2018

This Month's Issue:
Preparing for Cannabis Legalization

Cannabis Legalization - How it Will Work

by Monty Killoh ([email protected] )

I n April 2017, the federal government introduced Bill C-45 (Cannabis Act) to legalize the sale and use of recreational cannabis by summer 2018. With legalization looming within the next few months, all levels of government are finalizing legislation to allow for the retail sale of a product that has been illegal in Canada since 1923.

The federal government is finalizing its Cannabis Act, which addresses high-level regulations such as possession limits, rules for home and commercial/industrial cultivation of cannabis, taxation of cannabis, advertising and packaging restrictions, and new impaired driving rules.

The provincial governments have been charged with regulating the actual distribution and sale of cannabis products within their boundaries; in Alberta, this legislation is in the form of An Act to Control and Regulate Cannabis, which amends the existing Gaming and Liquor Act (which regulates retail liquor stores and gambling in Alberta) to include cannabis.

The Province's approach to regulating cannabis retail sales is similar to how it already regulates liquor sales. Privatized liquor stores are licensed by the province and must order liquor through the AGLC (Alberta Gaming & Liquor Commission) instead of directly from producers; similarly, privatized cannabis retail stores must apply for and obtain a retail licence through the province, and must order cannabis through the province instead of directly from producers. The province will also impose regulations for the operation of cannabis retail stores; restrictions on what can and can't be sold at a retail store (only cannabis and cannabis accessories), what kind of names the stores can go by (no "health-related" names, and no names that appeal to children), security requirements (secure shipping/receiving areas, criminal record checks for all owners, managers and employees), and a cap on how many licences can be owned by the same individual/corporation (15% of total licences). More information about the Province's regulations for cannabis retail stores can be found on the AGLC's webpage ( https://aglc.ca/cannabis).

At the municipal level of government, the City of St. Albert is in the process of reviewing and amending its Land Use, Business Licensing and Smoking bylaws to regulate how and where cannabis will be sold/consumed in St. Albert. The Land Use Bylaw will regulate where cannabis retail stores can be located in St. Albert, while the Business Licence Bylaw will regulate the licensing and operation of the stores. The Smoking Bylaw will regulate public consumption of cannabis, such as where residents are allowed to smoke/vape cannabis.

No cannabis retail stores will open in St. Albert until the above-mentioned bylaws have been approved, and the required permits/licences are applied for and issued to prospective business owners. The City's webpage on cannabis ( https://stalbert.ca/cannabis) contains more information about timelines for cannabis bylaw approvals in St. Albert ( https://stalbert.ca/cosa/participation/cannabis-legalization/legalization-timeline/), educational resources on the health effects of cannabis ( https://stalbert.ca/cosa/participation/cannabis-legalization/resources/), and results of St. Albert's cannabis survey ( https://stalbert.ca/cosa/participation/cannabis-legalization/cannabis-survey/).

In This Issue

Cannabis Legalization - How it Will Work

Preparing Your Business for Cannabis Legalization

2018 Business Beautification Program

Business Spotlight On...Black Diamond Distillery

New Businesses in St. Albert

Monthly Growth Stats

Join the Conversation!

Upcoming Events

Dig In Horticulinary Festival

May 1 - 6

St. Albert Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament

May 30

Preparing Your Business for Cannabis Legalization

by Monty Killoh ( [email protected])

With the anticipated legalization of recreational cannabis this summer, now is a good time for organizations to get ahead of the game by reviewing their workplace policies to ensure that they are ready to handle cannabis in the workplace. Last week, the St. Albert Chamber hosted a Cannabis at Work workshop to give local organizations the tools they need to mitigate the risk. Below are some of the take homes from that session.

Cannabis for medicinal use has been legalized for a number of years and organizations have already been attempting to find a way to strike the right balance between accommodating employees who are using prescribed medicinal cannabis to treat illness, and maintaining a safe workspace; finding that balance is key to ensuring that an organization is prepared to handle cannabis in the workplace.

Employers have a duty to consider possible accommodations for employees who have a legitimate prescription for medicinal cannabis; whether this means reassigning such employees to different roles, modifying work hours or other such accommodations, it's critical for employers to ensure that all possible options for accommodation have been considered.

When taking accommodations into consideration, it's important for organizations to bear in mind that any such accommodation should be considered only when taking into account the organization's duty to maintain a safe workplace. While finding appropriate accommodation is important, no organization is expected to allow employees to be impaired on the job - it's equally important to consider the well-being of other workers. If an organization is unsure whether or not the medicinal use of cannabis will result in on-site impairment, it could consult with a medical review officer or even come to an agreement with the employee in question regarding dosing times/levels, and whether or not they need to take a leave of absence.

While dealing with medicinal cannabis may require planning and policy work, recreational cannabis is a bit more straightforward. Similarly to how employees can't be at work under the influence of alcohol, the same can be applied for recreational cannabis. If an organization has a drug and alcohol policy that forbids consumption and/or possession of alcohol on work premises, the same restrictions can work for recreational cannabis.

2018 Business Beautification Program/Commercial Cost Share

Business Spotlight On... Black Diamond Distillery

What started as a basement hobby has turned into a labour of love for David Scade. This February he opened Black Diamond Distillery in St. Albert with his wife Andrea. The distillery has been a work in progress since 2014, even before Andrea and David met.

In 2014, David was out with friends and learned that a few of them had homemade stills. He borrowed one to try it out and after one batch he was hooked and made his own still. He shared his spirits with friends and family and soon they were asking him for more. When he met Andrea, she joined in and started to help with ideas for new flavours. The two were soon engaged and married in Andrea's home province of Nova Scotia in 2016.

It was while they were in Nova Scotia for their wedding that they first considered the idea of turning their hobby into a business. While there they had an opportunity to tour a family distillery and learn how it too had started as a hobby. The family soon became mentors for the Scades, sharing their knowledge of how to open a distillery business.

The Scades spent a year looking for a location that was the right fit for their business. They chose a 1,400 square foot spot in Riel Business Park that includes space for them to offer tastings, spirits for purchase, and a room upstairs for event bookings.

They are planning on taking the business slow, selling from their location and at farmers' markets in the Edmonton area. Their product is also in a few liquor stores but not many. They want to keep the business small enough that they can get to know their customers and their customers can get to know them - which so far is working. "We've had a few customers invite us to their homes to pick fruit. One has even offered us keys to their gate so that we can pick chokecherries," Andrea explained.

Black Diamond Distillery tries to source their ingredients locally as much as possible; shipping in tart cherry juice from Saskatchewan for their tart cherry vodka, picking rhubarb from their grandfather's and neighbour's yards for their rhubarb strawberry vodka and purchasing coffee beans roasted in Edmonton that they use within 36 hours after they are roasted in their coffee infused vodka?. They plan to introduce new flavours regularly with special flavoured spirits dependent on the season. The distillery will also create spirits for any special occasion, such as weddings, retirement parties or even the birth of a baby.

To find out what new flavours they have in store and when they are open, you can visit their Facebook page - @blackdiamondistillery.

Black Diamond Distillery
200, 16 Renault Crescent
St. Albert, AB T8N 4B8
780-598-2820
www.blackdiamonddistillery.com
[email protected]

Facebook: blackdiamonddistillery
Instagram: blackdiamonddistillery

The Spotlight on Business is a monthly feature wherein we highlight a local business and learn more about what they do and how they positively contribute to the identity and economy of St. Albert. If you, or someone you know, would like to be featured in a future issue, please contact [email protected] with a brief description of the organization.