Some garden centres in Alberta say they鈥檙e disappointed that the province won鈥檛 allow them to sell marijuana seeds or seedlings when recreational cannabis becomes legal in October.
Customers will be able to buy supplies at garden centres, but they鈥檒l need to go to cannabis stores for seeds or plants.
Lisa Silva from Bluegrass Nursery in Calgary says customers are already asking her about how to grow cannabis, and she鈥檇 welcome the right to sell them plants.
鈥淚t鈥檚 another market opportunity for us to capture,鈥� she says.
Federal law allows Canadians to cultivate up to four plants per household, although Quebec and Manitoba have chosen to prohibit home cultivation altogether.
In five provinces 鈥� Ontario, Quebec, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick -- cannabis will only be available from government-owned stores and/or online.
Alberta, Newfoundland and British Columbia have opted for a mix of government-run and privately-licensed stores, while Manitoba and Saskatchewan will offer only private stores.
In Alberta, private retailer NewLeaf Cannabis is planning to open 18 shops, but Chief Administrative Officer Angus Taylor says the company hasn鈥檛 yet decided whether to sell seeds or seedlings.
鈥淚t's a challenge just training our staff to be good as cannabis advisers,鈥� Taylor says. 鈥淚f employees were to sell plants and seeds, he adds, they would need to be 鈥済ood horticulture advisers too.鈥�
With a report from CTV Calgary鈥檚 Alesia Fieldberg
