Cannabis industry is new to the entirety of Canada. After the legalization of recreational marijuana in the fall of 2018, retailers have been wanting to dive into the huge pool of business opportunities associated with this industry. However, due to the tight regulatory environment created by the federal government, opening and running a cannabis store in the country has been a demanding process, to say the least. There are over 1000 stores in the pipeline, waiting to open, only in Ontario!

Having said that, you can maneuver through these challenges with the right resources and knowledge. Our experts have created a Cannabis store guide for security and licensing to help you through the process.

1. Location

We cannot emphasize enough on the importance of location when you’re opening a Cannabis store. Choose a location that’s a hub and has a high traffic flow for leisure and shopping. Aside from being centrally located, there are rules you need to follow when choosing a location for your Cannabis dispensary. It must be at least 150 metres away from any private schools and schools on reserves. The retail space also must be built inside an enclosed space and it cannot be opened as a part of a shared space, such as cafes.

2. Acquiring the Licenses

Opening a Cannabis dispensary is a whole process, where you need to acquire the correct licenses to open doors to customers. This includes a retail operator license, retail store authorization license and a cannabis retail license manager, who has a clean criminal record. Sounds like a task? UTS Group provides advisory services to help you pass your site assessment and store inspection and obtain your license smoothly.

3. A PROPER SECURITY PLAN

Cannabis stores need to be really careful about the traffic coming inside the store. Dispensary owners must find a blend between making the store welcoming, as well as having security systems in place. UTS Group supplies, installs, and repairs security cameras, access control systems, buzzer systems, intrusion alarms and all other security systems, exclusively designed to meet the needs of Cannabis stores.

4. CANNABIS CONSULTANTS

At the core of it all, falls the product you’re offering. While laying the starting blocks, it’s advisable to hire a group of consultants to help assure that you have everything in place. You would need all the expert advice you can get on the suppliers, costs, services needed as well as an overall knowledge of the industry you’re stepping into. After all, it’s still new for Canada!

5. RETAIL STORE PLAN

Have you thought about the interiors of your Cannabis retail store yet? If not, now is the time. It’s a place which requires more informative displays that other stores. You might want to install interactive display screens to help your customers educate themselves before they make a purchase. UTS Group supplies and installs high quality audio/visual display systems to help you amplify the aesthetics of your store.

6. STAFF TRAINING & OPERATIONAL PRACTICES

Even after you’ve installed the right security systems and displays, you would need your staff to be well trained to run the store properly. From educating the customers about the products, the staff would also need to make sure they monitor the store traffic and check outs in an efficient manner. We have got half of it already sorted for you. We train your staff and provide you with manuals for every security system that we install for you.

We hope our Cannabis store guide for security and licensing helps clear you head and get some load off that business mind of yours! Still have questions? Just give our experts a call and they can help you with all your security needs for your cannabis store. You can even sign up for a free quote!

6 Things to Consider Before You Open a Cannabis Store

1. Location

2. Acquiring the Licenses

3. A PROPER SECURITY PLAN

4. CANNABIS CONSULTANTS

5. RETAIL STORE PLAN

6. STAFF TRAINING & OPERATIONAL PRACTICES

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