Cannabis in Alberta – Cannabis | weed | marijuana

How is cannabis doing in Alberta? Not great according to the headlines. Calgary-based SNDL, formerly known as Sundial Growers, is cutting nearly 100 jobs as part of an industry-wide cut.

“Oversupply and overcapacity has resulted in high-quality flowers being widely available and selling well below the marginal cost of production,” SNDL Zach George said in a statement Monday.

The news comes as other major producers have realized they have overextended themselves. Edmonton-based Aurora announced last year that it was laying off 12% of its staff and closing three facilities.

Some critics say Alberta’s cannabis market is saturated. Alberta is Canada’s fourth largest province by population, but its cannabis market is comparable to Ontario’s.

But while we can attribute some of that growth (and subsequent retreat) to Ottawa’s legalization policy, which emphasized selling stocks instead of cannabis, the fact remains that cannabis creates value in Alberta.

Cannabis in Alberta: Tax Benefits

When it comes to cannabis in Alberta, Grow Up Conference President Randy Rowe understands the potential, but also the risks involved.

The Grow Up Conference attracts industry leaders, from licensed growers to craft growers, influencers and professionals. And in the first year, the Business Expo will be held in Edmonton, Alberta.

“There are a lot of things in Alberta that are very favorable for cannabis,” Randy told CLN over the phone.

With a robust farming community and an annual Stampede rodeo, Alberta has a reputation for being Canada’s “Texas,” meaning you’ll expect more beer and whiskey drinkers than cannabis users.

But that’s a cliché that has been proven wrong. “Communities are welcoming cannabis,” says Randy. Alberta has more cannabis dealers per capita than Ontario. Randy also notes, “They only have a 5% tax rate, which makes it very manageable to do business there.”

In fact, unlike other Canadian provinces, Alberta does not have a provincial sales tax. Ottawa requires a goods and services tax (GST) of 5%.

In addition, Alberta’s provincial tax rates are among the best in the country. With 10% debt on the first $131,220 of taxable income and only 15% on income over $314,928.

Cannabis in Alberta: Stigma

Of course, as in other Canadian provinces, there is still significant stigma surrounding cannabis. However, Alberta isn’t as bad as Quebec (which has a state retail system, a ban on most edibles, and a potentially unlawful ban on home growing).

However, parts of Alberta are still weary of cannabis. As Randy told CLN, “Edmonton is a little more relaxed than Calgary.”

“When we were looking for venues in Calgary,” for the Grow Up Conference, “many venues didn’t allow for on-site consumption. We have an outdoor smoking area… but in Calgary they were a bit stricter than in Edmonton.”

This comes as no surprise to many cannabis connoisseurs, who remember Dana Larsen’s arrest in Calgary like it was yesterday.

However, Alberta is moving in the right direction. Randy notes that the province now allows festivals to set up a cannabis consumption area. However, you will need to bring your own to do this.

“At a music festival you can go up and buy a beer and have a beer at the festival. We should be able to do the same with cannabis,” says Randy. “They should be able to actually buy and consume locally.”

Consumption Lounges & Tourism

On the consumption side, Randy shares the sentiment of virtually every cannabis producer and consumer in the country.

“I think these need to be more accessible,” he says. “You have to have an area that people can go in and consume that’s not outside.”

Randy envisions “consumption-enhanced beverages or enriched eating experiences” that will help Canada’s cannabis economy.

“Alberta is working on this type of mandate to allow for different zoning and to lift some of the restrictions on cannabis,” Randy adds, but can’t say how far along the government is in the process.

“We have people who are pushing cannabis tourism a lot,” says Randy. “I think in terms of hospitality, it’s a fantastic way to promote Canada as a nation that has legalized cannabis. Let’s have tourism so people can come in and have canna-friendly hotels and canna-friendly restaurants.”

And added: “I would like a little more openness when it comes to consumption.”

About the Review of the Cannabis Act

Randy again reflects the sentiment of most, if not all, cannabis users in Canada. Ottawa’s cannabis law is too strict.

“Health Canada needs to give everyone the freedom to run their own province the way they want,” says Randy. Agree with CLN that provincial governments should treat cannabis cultivation licenses the same way they treat breweries.

Ultimately, if the first iteration of cannabis legalization emphasized public health, the review’s conclusions should focus on tourism and reduced Ottawa restrictions.

“The sky hasn’t fallen in,” says Randy, “people aren’t walking the streets like zombies. I think as it matures the rules will change and we’ll just have to keep pushing and lobbying for change and implementing new strategies for cannabis.”

However, as the industry sheds jobs, there are concerns that there may not be much left of the cannabis industry by the time Ottawa’s cannabis law review is complete.

Of the absurd structure of excise taxes on cannabis, Randy says, “It’s killing us. The taxes are crazy. Some of these companies will close their doors simply because they cannot afford to stay open.”

In addition, the government should not tax people to the point of bankruptcy.

Grow Up Conference

This is the 7th year for the Grow Up Conference and Expo. From May 28-30, attendees can learn and discover what’s new in cannabis in Alberta and Canada at the Edmonton Convention Centre.

There are also workshops focusing on genetics, cultivation, extracts and processing. As well as the Canadian Cannabis Championship, which includes a flower and hash competition and live on-site judging.

What are your thoughts on cannabis in Alberta? Should Ottawa give provinces more cannabis autonomy? Be sure to let us know by leaving a comment below!