The Saskatchewan Chamber supports the Government of Saskatchewan’s direction on Cannabis Sales 

As the voice of business in the province, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is encouraged by the provincial government’s announcement to pursue a private sector retail and distribution model for cannabis once it becomes legalized on July 1, 2018.

The Chamber believes that the appropriate role for the provincial government in the legal cannabis market is that of a fair and impartial regulator of private sector activity through the SLGA, and not as a participant in the marketplace. Private sector retailers are best suited to driving growth and innovation in the industry by being responsive to consumer demands.   

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce also recommends that 19 be the legal minimum age for both the purchase and consumption of cannabis, aligning it with the province’s legal drinking age.

“In endorsing the sales process we fully acknowledge that not all business people believe legalization is the right course of action. However, we realize all Canadians want a safe and legal process, rather than the Wild West that is the current situation in pot sales,’ said Steve McLellan, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.
 
“While the legalization of cannabis will create new business opportunities in the province, legalization will also bring with it some new challenges for employers, particularly those operating in safety-sensitive environments, such as construction, oil and gas, mining, forestry, and transportation. On these matters, the Chamber calls on both the Government of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada to provide greater clarity for employers by establishing a legal definition of impairment, developing reliable, standardized, and legally-sanctioned drug testing protocols, and establishing a legal definition for the term ‘safety-sensitive position’,” said McLellan.
 
Echoing the sentiments of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and other industry groups across Canada, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce strongly advises that any additional guidelines related to workplace safety be put in place before full legalization takes effect.

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