Manitoba extends pause on new licences to sell cannabis at urban convenience stores, gas stations

The Manitoba government is extending its pause on approving a certain type of retail licence that would allow a range of businesses in urban areas to start selling cannabis, including gas stations.

The provincial government temporarily suspended new licences this past spring for what are called controlled-access cannabis stores. Unlike standalone cannabis stores that only admit adults, controlled-access outlets sell cannabis alongside other products, but put them out of reach of underage customers. 

Last week, Finance Minister Adrien Sala directed Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries to extend the suspension until Dec. 1, 2025. 

In an email, provincial spokesperson Caedmon Malowany said the pause was to continue consultations "to make sure we get this right." 

Earlier this year, Winnipeg-based gas station chain Domo was about to start selling cannabis at five of its gas stations in the city, but that plan was halted when new controlled-access licences were suspended.

Domo said Tuesday it's disappointed to learn the government is extending its moratorium.

"Domo is uniquely and exceptionally well-positioned to ensure the convenient and safe sale of cannabis to our guests while making it inaccessible to minors," said an email attributed to company chairman Douglas Everett and president Kate Everett on Tuesday.

Concerns over access, oversaturation 

But Melanie Bekevich, the vice-president of the Retail Cannabis Council of Manitoba, applauded the move.

The organization, which represents independent cannabis retailers, had previously lobbied the government to implement some restrictions on controlled-access stores to protect youth.

"I think that's one of the concerns — ensuring that cannabis transactions are being handled responsibly by people who have been trained in the adult spaces," Bekevich said. 

"I think that kids don't need to be exposed to that transaction."

The other concern is that these types of licences were meant for retailers in rural and northern communities, where other cannabis stores aren't available — not urban areas where the cannabis market is already hyper-competitive, Bekevich said. 

"I don't think there's any shortage of access in Winnipeg," she said. 

The moratorium applies to Winnipeg and the surrounding communities that are part of the capital planning region, including Niverville, Stonewall, Headingley, Selkirk, and West and East St. Paul, as well as to all other communities in the province identified as "cities" under the Municipal Act, according to Sala's directive.