According to a provincial government news release from April 4, Mi’kmaw communities “will be able to open legal cannabis retail stores on reserve by agreement with the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC), with new regulations introduced by the government.”
The release notes that the regulations call for “cannabis to be retailed in a socially responsible manner.”
“The NSLC is currently the only authorized cannabis seller in Nova Scotia,” it states. “The new regulations will allow a band, or a band-owned corporation, to become an authorized seller within their community through an agreement with NSLC to set up a legal retail store. Any cannabis stores in Mi’kmaw communities will sell cannabis purchased through the NSLC.”
Authorized Mi’kmaw sellers of cannabis must:
- Sell it in its original packaging.
- Sell no more than 30 grams of dried cannabis — or the equivalent — in any one transaction.
- Only sell cannabis at a permanent and authorized location.
- Prohibit sampling on the premises.
- Display an NSLC certificate indicating they are an authorized seller.
- Follow NSLC training and guidelines around responsible retailing.
- Follow Health Canada requirements.
The release notes that there are currently no plans to authorize third-party sellers.
Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change Timothy Halman issued a statement on behalf of Finance and Treasury Board Minister John Lohr:
“We’ve spoken with Mi’kmaw leaders across the province, and they have raised concerns about the sale of illegal cannabis in their communities,” said Halman. “These changes will allow bands to open a legal store for those who wish to buy and use cannabis.”
Currently, there is one on-reserve NSLC location selling cannabis — a store in Eskasoni, in Cape Breton, which opened in September 2022.
There are currently 50 NSLC cannabis stores in the province. In 2023-24, the sale of NSLC cannabis totalled $121 million, states the release.
Mi’kmaw accounts for the largest group of Indigenous people in the province.
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