As the Canadian cannabis industry continues to grow and evolve, there’s a consolidation and organization happening among retailers across the country in an attempt to make improvements and enhancements to facilitate further growth and profitability. As part of this movement, the Retail Cannabis Council of Saskatchewan was recently formed – something that one of its founders, Jim Southam, says really bolsters the industry going forward.
“Originally, when we held our very first meetings, we formed an association called the Saskatchewan Independent Cannabis Retailers Network,” he explains. “But, since working very closely with the Retail Cannabis Councils of Ontario and BC, we’ve decided to change our name to the Retail Cannabis Council of Saskatchewan. We did so by vote at our first AGM earlier in September. So, now we’re going to have Retail Cannabis Councils at the provincial level who will all be members of the Retail Cannabis Council of Canada. It’s going to make us all stronger and allow us to organize and formalize our approach concerning certain issues.”
Strength in Numbers
Formation of the Council provides a massive boost to cannabis retailers operating within the province, providing a consolidation of like interests and a platform from which their collective voices can be heard. And, according to Southam, who also owns and operates two Prairie Cannabis stores in Saskatchewan, it’s a consolidation that can only result in positive outcomes for its retailer members.
“It’s a cliché, but there really is strength in numbers,” he asserts. “A handful of cannabis retailers in Saskatchewan aren’t going to have a lot of clout with Health Canada. But if we can show up with thousands of retail members representing every province across the country, from BC to the Maritimes, they’re more likely to listen to us when it comes to issues and improvements that need to be made in order for us to be more competitive within the industry.”
Government Lobbying
Southam goes on to explain that RCC Saskatchewan will operate much in the same way that RCC Ontario and RCCBC do, providing its members with guidance and representation and working as a collective toward share goals and objectives.
“A lot of our efforts are going to be focused on lobbying governments at all levels – municipally, provincially, and federally – to advocate on behalf of cannabis retailers concerning issues that are impacting the viability and success of their businesses,” he says. “And, we’re also committed to educating and participating in public engagements. Without the ability to advertise, the public doesn’t really understand the difference between a national chain and a locally owned and operated mom-and-pop shop. We haven’t done a good enough job informing the public about our industry – something we’re looking to change.”
Addressing Issues and Problems
Cory Bacon, Owner of SaskaBuds Cannabis in Melfort, Saskatchewan is the President of RCC Saskatchewan. He, Southam and others will be leading the way with respect to highlighting improvements that need to be made and issues that require attention. And, according to Southam, there are quite a few areas to address.
“We’re required to see photo ID with every transaction in our stores, which is completely ridiculous. That’s the biggest change that needs to be made in Saskatchewan. Window coverings, on a federal level, has also got to be addressed. It’s presenting a huge safety issue in our stores, as well as perpetuating negative stigmas around cannabis and cannabis use. The 10-milligram edible packaging quantity has got to be assessed and increased, too. We’re trying to eliminate the black market as one of the priorities of legalization, and there are a number of things that are currently helping to fuel it, including the edible package quantities. There are so many issues and problems that need to be raised in order to create a more optimized landscape for cannabis retailers to operate on. We’re hoping that the formation of the RCC Saskatchewan will help the industry address them all.”