Cannabis Retail in Banff

Storefront Retail in Banff 

Banff Town Council approved a Land Use Bylaw amendment to allow storefront cannabis retail as a Discretionary Use in the Downtown Land Use District. The amended bylaw aligns with provincial restrictions, such as requiring that any storefront retail must be 100 metres away from a health facility or school. In addition, specific requirements for retail operations in Banff include:

  • retail stores must be 100 metres away from a daycare or playground,
  • retail stores must be 30 metres apart from each other (to avoid clusters of stores), and
  • retail stores cannot have a window or windows facing onto a sidewalk or lane (in alignment with AGLC requirements).

Municipal Permits

In addition to provincial licences, in order to operate Storefront Cannabis Retail in Banff, a Development Permit for a change of use is required along with a valid Business Licence. For internal building changes, a Building Permit may also be required.

Note:

  • Applications will not be accepted prior to November 1, 2018. 
  • Applications must be submitted in person at Banff Town Hall, 110 Bear Street, with the Development Permit Application Fee.
  • The ‘first wave’ of applications must be submitted between November 1, 2018 and November 30, 2018.
  • Applications received after November 30, 2018, will not be processed until after the first wave of applications are processed. 
  • Review of applications for completeness will take place after November 30

Cannabis Retail Development Permit Process (PDF)

Provincial legislation

The Government of Alberta’s legislation identifies additional restrictions and authorizes the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) to carry out oversight and compliance functions as well as manage the distribution of cannabis.

The Province: 

  • will be the only authority to sell cannabis online in Alberta
  • will provide permits to privately owned and operated cannabis stores (through AGLC)
  • set offences related to youth possession and public consumption

More Information