Termination of Cannabis Store on Long Plain First Nation in Winnipeg
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries this morning terminated its retailer agreement with NAC Long Plain Limited Partnership for the Meta Cannabis Supply Co. store located at 420 Madison Street. The store’s retail licence was subsequently cancelled by the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA).
The termination of the retailer agreement follows the mid-May suspension of the Madison Street cannabis store, which is located on Long Plain First Nation’s reserve lands in Winnipeg. Today’s actions are the result of several attempts over the last month by Liquor & Lotteries and the LGCA to work with the First Nation to operate within Manitoba’s legal cannabis framework.
Long Plain First Nation’s failure to respond to efforts to collaborate with both organizations, and the continued ongoing sale of unregulated cannabis from an unlicensed store on the First Nation’s Keeshkeemaquah reserve, prompted the agreement termination and licence cancellation today. Selling cannabis that has been manufactured at a facility without a federal production licence poses serious risks to consumer safety.
“Manitoba owes it to the licensed and regulated cannabis retailers and producers, who’ve made a significant investment in Canada’s burgeoning legal cannabis industry, to deliver safe and regulated products to Manitobans,” said Manny Atwal, President and CEO of Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries.
“Protecting the integrity of Manitoba’s cannabis licensing framework is a fundamental priority,” added LGCA CEO Kristianne Dechant. “Manitobans who choose to use cannabis should be assured that they are buying safe products from licensed and regulated retailers.”
Manitoba’s legal framework for cannabis sales, The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act, requires all cannabis stores in the province to be licensed by the LGCA. Further, all cannabis sold at licensed stores must be purchased from Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, the province’s exclusive wholesaler, which in turn may only acquire cannabis from producers licensed by Health Canada. These requirements apply regardless of whether or not a store is located on First Nations land.
While Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and the LGCA is still interested in facilitating ongoing licensed participation within Manitoba’s legal cannabis framework, they will continue to act in the broader public interest to protect all Manitobans and preserve the integrity of the system and rules by which all other retailers conduct business.
A list of licensed cannabis stores is available at https://LGCAmb.ca/cannabis/store-list/.
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