After realizing that its sign violated Saskatoon city bylaws related to cannabis retail stores, Greenery Cannabis Boutique (Greenery) has prompted the city to take a second look at its signage rules.
According to the city’s Cannabis Business License Bylaw, signage for cannabis retailers can’t depict anything except the business’ name in alpha-numeric characters, however, Greenery uses a cannabis leaf in its signage, technically violating the bylaw.
Once Greenery realized this, and that many stores in the city were unknowingly breaking the rules, the company brought its concerns to city hall, specifically the planning, development and community services committee. The committee seemed to agree that at least two stores were violating the bylaw, including one of the first stores to open in the city after legalization. It acknowledged the complaint and voted to review the city’s signage requirements for cannabis retailers.
Rules for cannabis stores in Saskatoon are fairly relaxed. Aside from marketing and selling to minors, and consuming cannabis on premises, the only other conditions for the store itself have to do with odour and signage. Additionally, national industry experts have applauded the province as a whole for its more trusting approach to legalization, and retailers and producers in the province have banded together to form co-operatives and associations to ensure everyone has a shot.
Those in the cannabis industry are itching to shed the over-safe regulations implemented in 2018, and if the microcosm of Saskatoon is any indication, governing bodies are beginning to open up to the idea that cannabis businesses aren’t as scary as they thought.