Cannabis POS software to streamline Alberta dispensaries
Medical / Recreational
Both medical and recreational cannabis use is legal in Alberta. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is the only one to sell recreational cannabis in Alberta.
Timeline of the province cannabis legalization
2017: In November, An Act to Control and Regulate Cannabis was passed.
2018: Cannabis dried flowers and oils became legal in Canada.
2018: In April, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission was provided with tools to control the cannabis market in Alberta by Bill 6: Gaming and Liquor Amendment Act.
2019: Cannabis edibles, topicals, and extracts were legalized in Canada.
Province cannabis laws
To operate legally, every cannabis business owner shall follow the rules established by the government. Collecting all papers for application, waiting for approval, and keeping all businesses in a dispensary can be pretty time-consuming. However, these are the conditions which, having been achieved, allow you to run your business without additional troubles.
Let’s have a look at the law requirements you shall follow in Alberta.
License
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) Commission regulates and controls the cannabis market in the Alberta province. It ensures that cannabis retailers operate legally, responsibly, and in accordance with the law.
To apply for a license in Alberta, you need:
- Before submitting, contact your municipal government for local requirements.
- Collect all necessary documents:
- Floor plan;
- Application forms;
- License fees;
- Personal documents;
- Financial documents.
- Find a place for a dispensary and be ready for inspection. The Inspector will check if the site is appropriate for operating and meets all requirements of AGLC.
- Be ready for background checks of your finance and criminal histories as well as your employees’ and associates’.
You will find a whole cannabis retail application package here.
You shall provide your employees with an ID card that includes:
- The name or logo of the company;
- Their first name;
- Occupation;
- The employee’s photo;
- Qualification number;
- Expiry date.
Dispensary design requirements
A cannabis store shall not be located within 100 m of a health care facility, schools, school reserves.
A dispensary must be equipped with:
- A point-of-sale area;
- A separate entrance and exit;
- A secured storage area;
- A receiving products site;
- An alarm system;
- A video surveillance system;
- Secured product displays.
You are not allowed to have drive-through windows.
The displayed cannabis products shall be locked in secured cases. Only staff can access them.
There are specific rules for signage. It shall not:
- Reflect the lifestyle, endorsement, character, person, or animal;
- Use the words “chronic,” “stoned,” and “high”;
- Benefit health effects;
- Use terms, symbols, or imagery associated with medicine, health, and pharmaceuticals;
- Appeal to young, show cannabis usage, intoxication, cannabis products, cultural or sports events.
Operational requirements
Retail facility business owners must buy cannabis items only from AGLC. You can also sell only approved cannabis products.
A dispensary must start operating during the period from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
The store also must be secured with 1,5 mm hollow metal doors with a 1,9 mm metal frame and tamper-proof hinges at all entry points other than the customer entrance.
What concerns visitors, those under 18 years are not allowed to enter the store even accompanied by an adult.
Dispensary employees shall be 18 years of age and more. They also must undergo an underground check and complete a training program.
You shall keep all spoiled cannabis products separated from other cannabis products.
- A cannabis license holder must have a system that tracks cannabis inventory, includes a point-of-sale tracking system, backs up data, and stores it.
- Conduct inventory and report any discrepancies within 10 business days.
- Detect any cannabis product spoilage and separate it from other items.
- Keep records about inventory numbers, sales, and any additional papers for at least 6 years.
To run a dispensary, a licensee must:
- Secure it to prevent unauthorized access;
- Use surveillance system to monitor activity inside and outside the store;
- Set up an alarm system that detects any attempt of unauthorized access;
- Display cannabis items in a locked case that only employees can access.
A surveillance system shall cover the following 24 hours: entrance and exit, storage, point-of-sale, customer, employees.
A cannabis business owner shall have an inventory system that includes:
- Point-of-Sale tracking;
- AGLC product and lot number tracking;
- Data backed up weekly.
Transaction requirements
Dispensary employees must require identification for everyone under 25 years of age. They shall access only photos issued by the government. The document shall not be a copy or expired and shall include:
- A photo;
- A name;
- Birthdate;
- ID number.
Intoxicated people are not allowed to make a purchase.
You shall also sell cannabis that was produced by a person authorized under the federal Act.
Purchase limits
Your dispensary employees shall not sell more than 30 grams of cannabis in one transaction.
Label requirements
You can find all the requirements related to labeling here.
Delivery
Online sales and home delivery are available only via albertacannabis.org belonging to AGLC. Delivery can be conducted via Purolator or Canada Post. No other delivery is allowed.
Dispensaries and other cannabis businesses are allowed to provide delivery.
Province reporting system
As a licensee, you shall track all cannabis transactions and products data. Point of Sale and inventory systems are required for that. Check out IndicaOnline’s solutions developed for these purposes: POS and RFID scanner.
Business owners must submit a Cannabis Retailer Monthly Federal Compliance Report to AGLC on the 10th day of each month. All data shall be submitted according to the schedule and formats defined in the Federal Compliance Reporting Technical Specifications Document.
