Smart Choices is the LGCA suite of certification programs for hospitality industry and cannabis industry employees. We partner with the Manitoba Tourism Education Council to offer these programs. Visit the program website at SmartChoicesMB.ca.
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Smart Choices Liquor Service and Retail Certification
All staff who serve, sell or deliver liquor, and security and managers in licensed service and retail establishments must complete Smart Choices. The certification costs $45 and is valid for five years. Visit SmartChoicesMB.ca to take the program and test.

Upcoming deadlines to renew Smart Choices have been extended. Check your Smart Choices card to see when it expires. If your Smart Choices certification expires in 2022, it will be treated as valid until December 31, 2022. You will not receive a new card. You must complete Smart Choices before December 31, 2022 to recertify. If your Smart Choices certification expires after December 31, 2022, the expiry date on your card continues to apply.

We are updating Smart Choices and a new program will be available October 1, 2022. The new program will be more interactive and accessible, and will cost $25, a savings of $20. We encourage individuals renewing their certification to wait until after October 1, 2022 to take the updated program.

If you have Serving it Safe or It’s Good Business training, you have until December 31, 2022, to complete Smart Choices. If you do not have a current responsible service training, you must complete Smart Choices before starting work in a licensed service or retail establishment.

The goal of Smart Choices is to increase public safety. This training focuses on legal and safety obligations at liquor service and liquor retail establishments, such as checking ID, not serving to intoxicated people, knowing your responsibilities under liquor laws, and dealing with safety and security risks at work. Smart Choices also includes problem gambling awareness training, as gambling generally is offered in businesses where liquor is served. Requiring the same liquor and gambling training for everyone means that the Smart Choices certification is easily transferable across the hospitality industry.

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Smart Choices Cannabis Retail Certification
Managers and staff who sell cannabis in a licensed retail store must complete Smart Choices before beginning work. You must be at least 19 years old to sell cannabis in Manitoba, therefore the program is offered only to people 19 years of age or older. The certification costs $45 and is valid for five years. Visit SmartChoicesMB.ca to take the program and test.
    The goal of the Smart Choices is to increase public safety. This training will help people who work at licensed cannabis stores understand the legal requirements when selling cannabis, while establishing consistent social responsibility standards for stores across the province. Smart Choices focuses on providing facts about cannabis and lower-risk use, and on teaching retailers how to identify and refuse sales to intoxicated customers and young persons under the age of 19.

    Questions?

    Contact us at 204-927-5300 or toll-free at 1-800-782-0363 with any questions about Smart Choices.

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    Frequently Asked Questions