Canada: Manitoba announces its cannabis regulatory framework

After the British Columbia, Tuesday, the province of Manitoba unveiled its future regulatory framework for cannabis, to take effect when Canada’s legal cannabis market opens, which is scheduled for July 2018.

The Safe and Responsible Cannabis Retailing Act will entrust the current alcohol and gaming regulatory body (MBLL) with the task of organizing and regulating the production and distribution of cannabis.

The legal minimum age for purchase will be 19, as in other Canadian provinces. The MBLL will be responsible for purchasing cannabis from authorized producers and distributing it to licensed retailers.

Home cultivation will be banned, as in Quebec. Only cannabis grown by licensed producers (Bonify and Delta 9 Cannabis) will therefore be allowed to be sold in future recreational dispensaries, which are expected to be open to private entrepreneurs.

«Manitoba continues to implement responsible measures in response to the legalization of cannabis, which requires ensuring that appropriate safeguards are in place for legal sales,» said the province’s Minister of Justice, Heather Stefanson. «This new legislation establishes the regulatory framework, the structures to enforce it, and the provisions for compliance, which will help keep cannabis out of the hands of our youth and off the black market.»

Manitoba's proposed law also allows municipalities to ban the sale of cannabis within their boundaries through a local vote.

The law still requires approval from the province’s elected officials. Manitoba residents who wish to open a dispensary have until December 22 to register with the appropriate authorities.