Province Says NB Liquor Will Operate Recreational Marijuana Stores
FREDERICTON – NB Liquor will operate cannabis shops throughout the province, and the existing medical dispensaries will remain illegal when recreational marijuana is legalized next July, the provincial Finance Minister announced Wednesday.
Cathy Rogers said they decided to go with a crown-corporation model based on advice from U.S. states like Colorado and Washington.
“We have received very compelling advice from jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis before us,” said Rogers. “Their advice to us was to start with tight government oversight in the beginning.”
Despite that advice, the recreational stores in those states are run by private-sector businesses. When asked by reporters about the decision not to involve the private sector, Rogers would only say that government-run stores are a “great place to start” based on NB Liquor’s experience operating liquor stores in a safe, responsible way.
By going with the crown-corporation model, the province followed the advice of its own working group on cannabis.
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In New Brunswick, there will up to 20 stories in 15 communities run by a subsidiary of NB Liquor. The shops will be more tightly controlled than NB Liquor outlets and agency stories throughout the province, said CEO Brian Harriman.
Each store will be 2,500 square feet with a reception area where customers will have to show ID. No one under the legal age, which has yet to be established, will be allowed into the store itself. All of the cannabis products will be kept in glass cases, and customers will be have a one-on-one conversation with the store clerk before making purchases.
“It’ll be highly consultative and supportive,” said Harriman. “We want to ensure that our retail staff are highly trained and able to educate and help people who want to learn about cannabis in a store environment – so a much more highly structured retail experience than what we currently have in a self-serve model in the alcohol stores,” he said.
People will also have the option of making purchases online that will be available for pick-up at a retail outlet or mailed directly to their homes.
Rogers said the dispensaries that have set up in recent years in many communities in the province will not be allowed to operate in the retail market to be established next year.
“Illegal dispensaries are illegal today and they will continue to be illegal in the new model,” said Rogers, “so it will be a matter for Public Safety and enforcement.”
The government had previously announced that Canopy Growth and Organigram had been selected to supply the new stories with marijuana products.
Greg Engel, CEO of Organigram, said the company supports the government’s chosen model for retail sales.
“The proposed retail model reinforces a commitment to public safety and draws on the organizational and logistical expertise we already have here in New Brunswick,” said Engel in a release. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Province to implement a system that offers residents of New Brunswick a safe, educational and enjoyable customer experience.”
RELATED: N.B. Creates Crown Corporation for Cannabis Sales, Signs MOUs with Producers