Dan Baxter: B.C. cannabis sector has ability to accelerate economic recovery, but is hampered by unreasonable policiesPosted by MMP News AuthorOn October 22, 2020

Article content continued

As we head to the polls and legal cannabis celebrates its two-year anniversary, one question government should be considering is: Does the emerging regulated cannabis sector have the potential to provide B.C. with the private sector growth our province needs?

Cannabis legalization came with lofty economic predictions and the promise of a proverbial “green rush,” yet the industry has yet to blossom. In order for cannabis to provide a “green rush” for an inclusive B.C. economy, government will need to allow for competition and remove limits to growth in the sector — as highlighted in the B.C. Chamber of Commerce economic recovery plan.

First order of business: repealing the worker qualification regulation — the requirement for cannabis employees to undergo extensive security screenings, adding time and cost to the hiring process — is a major impediment that is postponing store openings, limiting store hours and leaving businesses understaffed….