• The LGCA licenses all retail cannabis stores in Manitoba. A retail cannabis store also must have a cannabis store retailer agreement in place with Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries.

If you are interested in opening a retail cannabis store, you first must contact Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and apply for a cannabis store retailer agreement.

Click here to apply to become a cannabis retailer with Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries.

Once the LGCA is notified by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries that they intend to enter into an agreement with your business, you may start the licensing process with us. The LGCA will provide you with the required licence application forms for your store. A licence will not be issued until a final cannabis store retailer agreement is in place with Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries.

There are two types of retail cannabis licences that the LGCA issues:

  • Age-Restricted Store – People younger than 19 years old are prohibited from entering the store.
  • Controlled-Access Store – A retailer is able to sell cannabis within a larger retailer store that sells other products as long as the cannabis products are not visible.

Licensed cannabis retailers can apply to the LGCA for authorization to operate a cannabis store at an additional or different location for a specified period. Licensees with a temporary location authorization must comply with the requirements and standards set by the LGCA.

BACKGROUND

Manitoba’s framework for retail cannabis has consisted of three phases. In 2017, the Province of Manitoba conducted a request for proposals for retail cannabis stores and conditionally accepted four proposals from the submissions (click here to read the news release). Further expansion occurred in 2018 when the Province of Manitoba conducted pre-qualifications seeking potential retailers interested in operating retail cannabis stores in Manitoba (click here to read the news release).

Successful applicants are required to apply to the LGCA for licensing. The LGCA was not involved in the requests or related selections of applicants.

On May 22, 2020, the third phase of Manitoba’s retail cannabis framework was announced by the Province of Manitoba (click here to read the news release). Starting on June 1, 2020, businesses can apply to Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries for a cannabis store retailer agreement which will let the business establish a store in any Manitoba community that allows the retail sale of cannabis. The business is required to apply to the LGCA for licensing when Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries indicates that it will enter into an agreement.

Applications for cannabis retail store agreements are administered by Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and the LGCA is not involved in the process. Once Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries indicates that it will enter into an agreement, the business must apply to the LGCA for licensing.

INFORMATION FOR CANNABIS RETAILERS

All licensed cannabis retailers must comply with the regulations and terms and conditions set by the LGCA.

REGULATIONS
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Security Requirements

All cannabis retailers must abide by the security requirements established by the LGCA.

REPORTING

Cannabis retailers are required to report inventory information to the LGCA each month using a web portal. This report must be submitted in order to comply with the Retail Cannabis licence, and is in addition to the Cannabis Retailer Monthly Federal Compliance Report.

The submitted reports require the following information:

  • Inventory additions (purchases, returns, transferred-in product, other)
  • Inventory reductions (sold in store, sold online, transferred-out product, disposal, recalled, other)
  • Inventory balances on hand at the end of the reporting period (available for sale, held for display, held for disposal or recall)

If you have questions about reporting, or if you would like technical information on the CSV upload file, please click here.

Fees

There is a $500 non-refundable application fee to apply for a retail cannabis licence, and the yearly licence fee is $1,000.

Renewals

The LGCA will contact current cannabis licensees in advance of requesting annual licensing fees or renewing a cannabis licence.