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Alberta suspends cannabis retail license applications due to supply shortage

Nov 21, 2018 | 12:55 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta says it won’t be issuing any new retail cannabis licences until further notice due to a national supply shortage.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis commission says it ordered enough supply to stock 250 retail stores for the first six months of legalization.

President Alain Maisonneuve says only about 20 per cent of that order has come in.

He says some licensed producers have not fulfilled their commitments and most cannabis products are running out.

Maisonneuve says the commission won’t accept any new applications for a cannabis retail licence either.

Applicants already in the queue will receive a full refund of all fees if they want to withdraw their requests.

“Our priority is to ensure private Alberta retailers are supported. We will continue to allocate the majority of our scarce inventory to private retailers,” Maisonneuve says. “We will continue to discuss production and shipping timelines with our licensed producers and meeting with all current retailers to discuss the current situation.”