Introduction
Do you wish you could connect directly with local customers and promote your business within your community?
Starting November 30th qualified LPs can do just that via the new Farmgate Producer Retail Store (PRS) license.
In July 2018, the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch announced that it would begin accepting applications for its first-ever Farmgate Cannabis License (Farmgate PRS). The license will allow companies to sell cannabis directly to customers in a store or online. It’s similar to a retail store license but has some important differences. Here are some things you need to know about this new program:
What can you do with a British Columbia Farmgate License?
A farmgate license is a type of cannabis retail license that allows companies to sell cannabis directly to customers in a store or online.
The British Columbia Farmgate License is available to anyone who has been issued an annual cultivation license by Health Canada. This means that anyone who holds an annual license can also apply for the BC Farmgate License.
To apply for this type of PRS, applicants will need:
- A copy of their current Health Canada Cultivation License;
- A completed application form; and
- Payment fees (amounts vary depending on which type of BC Farmgate you want).
Where do I have to submit my British Columbia Farmgate license?
To get a British Columbia Farmgate license, a company must apply directly to the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB).
- You cannot get a BC Farmgate license from another province or territory.
- When applying for an application (along with payment), you must also provide all documents that support your business plan and how you will meet all of their requirements. You can find out more about these requirements by visiting the BCLDB website.
Is there a Farmgate PRS License Quantity Limit?
There is no limit on how many Farmgate PRS licenses are available in British Columbia. This means that if your company is looking to sell more than one product, or you want to sell multiple products at once, then you can apply for more than one license.
To get more than one Farmgate PRS license:
- Fill out the appropriate application form(s)
- Submit it along with any fees associated with each application (these vary depending on what types of products you’re selling) via email or fax, or by hand-delivering all required documents directly to the Liquor Distribution Branch’s Vancouver office located at 480 West 12th Avenue Vancouver BC V5Y 1P6 Canada.
- Once your application has been received by the Liquor Distribution Branch and reviewed carefully by staff members there will be an interview conducted over the phone or in person where they will ask questions about yourself and your business plan before making a decision about whether or not granting approval would be beneficial for both parties involved?
Applicants can not have any cannabis sales licenses from other provinces:
The license is only available to BC residents who have never held a cannabis sales license in any other jurisdiction. Applicants must also have a business plan, and all required documents and be in good standing with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Applicants must submit an application package that includes:
- A completed application form
- Proof of residency
- Site plan and floor plan if applicable
What do companies need to provide when applying for a PRS license?
- You must also have approval from your local council, regional district, or First Nation.
- The local council, regional district, or First Nation can choose to approve or deny your application. If they do not approve it and you already have a license from another province, you will not be eligible for a farmgate license. However, if you do not already have a license from another province but still wish to apply for one through BC’s Farmgate Cannabis Program (FGP), then the FGP team may consider removing the existing license from their database before issuing you one.
What does the Farmgate PRS License allow you to do?
Getting your Farmgate PRS License will allow you to directly sell your product legally in British Columbia. The British Columbia Farmgate Cannabis PRS License will enable companies to sell cannabis directly to customers in a store or online.
To get a British Columbia Farmgate license, a company must apply directly to the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB). Approval from the local council, regional district, or First Nation is required. Applicants can not have any cannabis sales licenses from other provinces and there is no limit on how many Farmgate PRS licenses are available in British Columbia.
What can you do with a PRS License?
A PRS license allows you to add a retail store to your property/site and sell your own products and other products you choose to carry. This can help you generate additional revenue while also promoting your business and products locally.
Who is eligible for a PRS License?
Eligible license holders include standard and micro cultivators, cannabis nurseries, and cultivators possessing a processing license.
About Cannabis License Experts
Our team at Cannabis License Experts has submitted over 300 cannabis license applications, with zero refusals from Health Canada or any provincial government agencies, and we can guide you through the entire process for a PRS license. We help take out the guesswork and allow you to focus on other areas of your business.
Contact Us For More Information
Please let us know if you are considering applying for a PRS license and have questions about the process. We would be happy to schedule a call to discuss your plans and how we can help.
FREE Webinar on November 23, 2022, at 11 am PST
If you would like to learn more about the PRS license, our team will be hosting a free webinar on LinkedIn on November 23, 2022, at 11 am PST where our panel of experts will be explaining how the process works and answer your questions. You can sign-up for this event at:
Did you know?
- Ontario was the first and New Brunswick the second province that implemented farmgate applications and have active operators in this section.
- BC will be the third province to do so with the intention of helping the legal cannabis industry grow, especially with respect to the Indigenous and rural communities.
- Some advantages include a smaller supply chain with reduced costs, making the products available to the consumers at a lower price with the personal touch provided by the LP. Aside from offering the products in this manner, the new farmgate application also opens doors to cannabis tourism, where cannabis consumption can happen on the site.
- Acronyms of interest (BC-specific)
- LCRB: liquor and cannabis regulation branch
- PRS: producer retail store (farmgate)
- CRS: cannabis retail store
- LDB: liquor distribution branch
- CLR: cannabis licensing regulation
- Retail in BC: Government-operated in-person and online stores or private licensed in-person stores
- Application open to cultivation license holders (standard, micro, nurseries) with or without a processing license. BC farmgate application is not open to processing-only federal licenses.
Conclusion
If you are looking to start a cannabis business, then the British Columbia Farmgate PRS License is the perfect option for you. With this license, you can legally sell cannabis products directly to customers in a store or online. However, before applying for this type of license there are some essential things that need to be considered including location and approval from local councilors or First Nations leaders.
