Manitoba Cannabis Store retail cannabis framework has been a work in progress for several years. In February 2018, the Province announced it had conditionally accepted four organizations to operate cannabis stores (click here to read news release). The first retail cannabis store opened in Winnipeg on June 1, 2020.
In Manitoba, private retailers selected through a competitive request for proposal process will operate the province’s retail cannabis locations. Stores will be standalone businesses and not located in the same locations as liquor or gaming establishments. The provincial government will maintain a wholesale monopoly and regulate distribution, but private stores will set their own prices. Municipalities will have the option to ban retail sales of cannabis in their community, and can establish zones where private retail is permitted or prohibited.
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Private retail stores in Manitoba will be required to prohibit access by persons under the age of 19, and can only sell products that are sourced from federally authorized producers. They will not be allowed to carry cannabis accessories or clothing, and can only provide information about the products on their shelves, not promote them through paid advertising.
Adults 19 and older are legally permitted to possess up to 30 grams of non-medical cannabis in public, and can grow up to six plants per household. Stores can stay open until midnight, but cannot offer delivery, and are not permitted to sell samples or host events. They can advertise through social media, but not on sites that target people outside of Canada, and they are required to keep detailed records of every sale.