By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter) with files from The Canadian Press

Alberta to provide funding to help local police when pot is legalized

Oct 15, 2018 | 11:23 AM

CALGARY – Alberta will be providing $11.2 million through the Municipal Cannabis Transition Program to help municipalities with policing after recreational cannabis becomes legal on Wednesday, Oct. 17.

Finance Minister Joe Ceci says grants will be available for municipalities that have a population of more than 5,000 residents and are responsible for their own policing, and they will be distributed based on an application submitted to the province.

“60 percent of the money will be made available this fiscal year, with the remaining funds distributed next year,” Ceci said.

This money will be used to address legalization-related enforcement and other implementation costs at the local level.

The AGLC has signed agreements with 15 licensed producers to supply cannabis products to the AGLC which will then provide it to retailers, and an AGLC call centre will go live on Oct. 17 where Albertans can get more information on legal cannabis. 

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AGLC President & CEO Alain Maisonneuve says they take their role as the regulator of liquor and gaming seriously.

“The safety of all Albertans is at the forefront of our work as we provide oversight to these industries, and that remains our focus as we add legal cannabis to our portfolio. We work every day to provide Albertans with choices they can trust.”

While the province expects a net loss from legal cannabis this year and next, the government says it recognizes municipalities have costs related to the federal decision to legalize cannabis.

The province will continue to work with municipalities to determine next steps and better understand the impacts during the first two years of legalization.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis commission says 17 retail shops have been approved so far to open with interim licences Wednesday.

It expects another 250 locations will open within one year.

The commission says its online retail store, albertacannabis.org, is the only legal online offering in Alberta and it will launch just after midnight Wednesday.