Four site-specific applications have been made to the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) for recreational cannabis retail outlets in Olds.
Objectors to a Cowboy Cannabis location at 6-5221 46th St. and two at 6308B-46th St. have until Sept. 3 to make Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission aware of any concerns.
If the applications pass the provincial regulatory stage, it is then up to the municipality to determine whether any applications for change in use, building and/or development permits for the location would be approved.
A Canna Cabana location at #310, 4602-46th St. has also been proposed. That licence application by High Tide, Canna Cabana’s parent company, is now closed to public objections.
The province expects there to be about 250 retail outlets across Alberta. As of last week, AGLC had received 750 retail licence applications, said Healther Holmen, AGLC communications manager.
No licences have been issued yet, she said, adding licensing can take months. Some applications have already been rejected by AGLC or removed by the applicants for a number of reasons, she said.
She said objections to licence applications are not being made public.
“The majority of objections would be from a competitor standpoint,” said Holmen, adding in many places retailers are vying for prime locations.
She added that other objections reflect that “a large number of Albertans are not warm” to the introduction of legalized recreational cannabis.
AGLC will not issue a retail cannabis licence if the premises is located within 100 metres of a provincial health-care facility, a building containing a school or a boundary of a parcel of land that is designated as a school reserve or municipal and school reserve under the Municipal Government Act.
Among other restrictions including signage, it will be prohibited to have cannabis products, accessories or any other cannabis related item or material visible from the exterior of the premises.
Municipalities have the authority through their land use bylaws to further regulate the location of retail cannabis stores within town boundaries.
An amendment to the land use bylaw can establish or vary the minimum distances set by the province from schools, health-care facilities, municipal and school reserve lands.
Amendments can also include separation distances from other public places like parks, playgrounds, arenas, community centres, libraries and daycare facilities.
Town of Olds officials are soliciting public feedback on possible municipal rules for cannabis retail outlets and consumption within the town through a survey on the town’s website.
The survey will remain open until Aug. 30 and a report sharing what was heard will be shared on Sept. 10 at the 1 p.m. town council meeting.
