Cannabis Businesses

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It's legal to sell or consume cannabis for non-medicinal purposes across Canada effective October 17, 2018.

Opening a Retail Store

Update for Permit Holders and Applicants
The City of Edmonton is providing clarification to permit holders and applicants as it relates to development permit expiry and recent regulation changes approved by City Council. Please refer to the "After Your Development Permit is Issued" section of the "Opening a Cannabis Retail Store" webpage for more details.

You can find information about approved cannabis retail locations, potential areas for cannabis retail, and buffers from sensitive uses by visiting maps.edmonton.ca and selecting "Cannabis Locations".

Cannabis Permits and Licence Application Guide

Find out more about the process to open a Cannabis Retail Store

Opening a Cannabis Retail Store

The City of Edmonton will begin accepting additional cannabis retail sales development permit applications by email on a first-come, first-served basis beginning August 28, 2018 at 8am. Please review the application process for opening a cannabis retail store for more details.

Commercial Grow and Processing Operations

Zoning Regulations

The City has classified Cannabis Production and Distribution as a General industrial Use (definition, regulation) within the Edmonton Zoning Bylaw 12800. The General Industrial Use classification is restricted to areas zoned industrial and is not permitted in commercially-zoned locations.

The following industrial zones include the General Industrial Use class. Land that is zoned one of the below zones may allow for a cannabis production facility that complies with Zoning Bylaw regulations and receives a federal licence.

IB - Industrial Business Zone
IL - Light Industrial Zone
IM - Medium Industrial Zone
IH - Heavy Industrial Zone
EIB - Ellerslie Industrial Business Zone
EIM - Ellerslie Medium Industrial Zone
EETL - Edmonton Energy and Technology Logistics Zone
EETM - Edmonton Energy and Technology Park Manufacturing Zone
MA, MA1, MA2, MA3 - Municipal Airport Zones

Development and Building Permit Requirements

When you find a potential location for a cannabis production and distribution facility, you can visit the Edmonton maps website to check the zoning of the site.

To apply for a Development Permit, you will need to ensure you provide a complete application.

Commercial Development Permit Application Form

Commercial Industrial Checklist

The Development Officer reviewing your application may require the following additional items:

Environmental Nuisance and Health Impacts Assessment (Section 14.5)
Assessment of Risk of Industrial Activities (Section 14.6)

Note: Applications should also comply with the General Performance Standards when designing screening/security features for the site (Section 57 and Section 58).

Licensing Requirements

Under the proposed Federal Cannabis Act, all producers of cannabis or cannabis products will need to be federally licensed to operate. The Government of Canada will establish application processes and criteria for people who want to become producers of legal recreational cannabis.

Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations

The federal government currently regulates licensed producers of medical cannabis through the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations. Find more information about cannabis for medical purposes on the Government of Canada website.

Edmonton's Cannabis Rules

Cannabis became legal across Canada on October 17, 2018. Learn the rules for using cannabis.

For More Information

Telephone	311
Email	cannabislegalization@edmonton.ca

Cannabis Businesses

Opening a Cannabis Retail Store

Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations

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Related Documents

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