There are a few steps involved in setting up a legal cannabis business. The first and most important step is to do your research. There are several rules and regulations in place when it comes to cannabis, so familiarizing yourself with applicable legislation is always key to ensuring your business is legal and compliant. 

The next step is to plan your cannabis business and get organized. A good cannabis business plan can help with this. There will be several things to consider, including the licensing requirements, costs for the facility/building and employees, equipment and municipality costs, and your overall goals and intentions for the business. 

After your plan is in place, you can get the ball rolling and work on putting things into action. Cannabis License Experts can help you from day one of starting your cannabis business. We offer solutions for strategic planning, licence applications, site audits, standard operating procedures and more!

Of course! You don’t need to smoke cannabis to start a cannabis business. Even if your business expertise is lacking, the key to success is having a knowledgeable and efficient team that is willing to learn and grow together. With each team member taking care of their designated area of the cannabis business, success can come to anyone, including those with limited knowledge of the cannabis industry. 

Cannabis License Experts can be part of your team to help you achieve your goal of starting a cannabis business. We provide you with the guidance to plan your cannabis business, acquire funding, navigate the legal requirements, and acquire the appropriate licence for your operations.

It depends what activities your cannabis business is looking to conduct. If your business is looking to cultivate cannabis, then one of the following federal cannabis licences would be ideal:

Businesses that want to produce cannabis products such as cannabis extracts, edibles or topicals, would need to hold one of the following federal cannabis licenses:

A cannabis business that wants to sell packaged cannabis products to medical patients would need a federal Sale for Medical Purposes license.

A federal cannabis research license would permit businesses to conduct all kinds of cannabis-related studies (e.g. product development, drying methods, growing lights etc.)

A federal cannabis analytical testing license would permit businesses to conduct the testing of cannabis products.

Finally, if you’re looking to become a retailer of cannabis products (e.g. a dispensary where consumers can purchase recreational cannabis), then a cannabis retail licence would need to be secured from the applicable province/territory you’re located in. The requirements for cannabis retail differ between provinces/territories, so connect with Cannabis Licence Experts to learn more!

A cannabis licence application typically requires several documents to be submitted to the regulator. This documentation can include items such as:

These documents must be submitted at the time of application and will be reviewed thoroughly by the reviewer/officer. Submitting an incomplete or “messy” application can slow down the review of your file, which will ultimately result in extra waiting time for you to receive your licence. Cannabis License Experts can help ensure you submit a complete, fulsome and accurate application package to help you obtain your licence quickly and smoothly.

Starting a legal cannabis business in Canada is no easy task. There’s a lot of work when it comes to educating yourself and your employees around the applicable legislation, securing the necessary funding to establish your business and making sure you comply with all of the rules and regulations, including securing the necessary licence(s) for your cannabis business.

A team of trained and qualified employees is essential for a business to be successful. This includes finding (and keeping) the right employees, which can certainly be a challenge at times. Potential new hires should also have the necessary education and previous work experience, and training to fulfill their roles.

Additionally, we always recommend working with an expert to plan your business and prepare and submit your licence applications. The experts at Cannabis License Experts leverage years of cannabis quality assurance, operational and cultivation knowledge with real-life hands-on experience.

A well-written business plan contains important details about your business and is essential for your cannabis business to succeed. A cannabis business plan can help you plan out the lengthy process of establishing a cannabis business, and also help you focus on the specific steps to reach your short- and long-term goals and objectives. 

Generally, a well-written cannabis business plan is also needed if you’re looking to raise funds from investors and lenders. Investors and lenders will only risk their time and money if they’re confident your cannabis business will be successful and profitable. 

A basic description of your business won’t cut it. Your cannabis business plan should be clear, easy to read, detailed and informative. It should cover strategies for achieving your objectives, as well as financial details like predicted profits and income streams and potential pitfalls in your plan. Cannabis License Experts can help to ensure your business plan is well written, structured and effective.