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Yukon Government Cannabis Store Plans To Shut Down

Tuesday, 13 August 2019 15:52

People lined up outside of the government cannabis store on opening day (October 2018)

The store is closing in hopes of supporting private retailers in entering the market to help combat the black market sales of cannabis.

The Yukon government cannabis store is beginning the process of shutting down as more private retailers open up in the territory.

The store is closing in hopes of supporting private retailers in entering the market to help combat the black market sales of cannabis.

John Streicker, Minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corporation, says the plan from the beginning was to guide the market to a private retailer base.

"It was always part of our plan that we would introduce cannabis through a government store. (However), we felt that this was something the private sector could do a fine job in the sale of cannabis."

This comes shortly after a privately-owned cannabis store in Dawson officially opened last Friday.

The store, "Dawson City Cannabis," is the first private cannabis retailer to open outside of Whitehorse.

Applications for licenses to sell have also been received in Carmacks and Watson Lake, although no set plan for stores opening in those locations has been made.

Streicker says providing safe access to cannabis through private retailers is key to displacing the black market sales of cannabis.

 "I think that the things that are most important to displace the black market are that we provide safe, friendly access to cannabis stores. With the private sectors I think they've been taking over that responsibility just fine."  

Streicker also feels providing lower costs of cannabis will help displace the black market saying, "The other thing that's really going to affect how much we displace the black market is whether we can sell cannabis at a price that is reasonably low for the value of the product." 

The Yukon government has not yet decided whether to sell the entire store to a private retailer, or to sell the store's assets.

Streicker says the Yukon government will not be closing it's online store and will remain the Yukon's cannabis wholesaler.

On average, Yukoners have spent 49$ per person since the legalization of cannabis has occurred. The Yukon government has sold three million dollars worth of cannabis since legalization.

The physical cannabis store in Whitehorse is expected to officially close by the end of the year.

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