The date has been set for the selection process for the second phase of Manitoba’s cannabis retail rollout.
Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen announced today that the selection progress will start on May 15th. Pedersen added that it is the government’s goal to ensure that 90% of Manitobans have access to a cannabis store within 30-minutes of their home within two years.
In July 2018, the province released a Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ) seeking potential retailers interested in a future opportunity to operate cannabis retail stores in Manitoba. The RFPQ directed respondents to name communities where they would be prepared to open a store and nearly 100 applicants pre-qualified as part of this process.
The selection process will consist of a random draw, called the Cannabis Retail Opportunities Draw, where each pre-qualified retailer will receive one ballot per community of interest and one winning ballot will be drawn for each community. Successful applicants can go ahead and start the agreement and licensing process.
A second ballot will be drawn to determine a standby retailer meaning that retailer will be called upon if the winning retailer fails to open a store in the designated community.
Seven Manitoba communities will be included in the draw.
- Altona
- Flin Flon
- Lac du Bonnet
- Niverville
- RM of Russel-Binscarth
- Swan River, and
- Virden
The winning retailer will be announced following the draw.
