Through the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act (CCLA), the Province and Cowichan Tribes have entered into a temporary agreement (section 119).
The agreement allows the largest First Nations group in the province to participate in both production and retail cannabis operations.
Generally speaking, the CCLA restricts businesses from operating in both the cannabis production and retail sectors because the Province wants to avoid seeing the retail market dominated by a small number of larger producers.
During the time-limited agreement, the Province will begin more policy work to ensure the provincial regulatory framework supports the continued development of a vigorous and diverse cannabis industry that is inclusive of Indigenous Nations.
The CCLA allows the Province to enter cannabis-related agreements with First Nations groups.
This is the second time the province has entered into this type of agreement.
The first partnership began on September 20, 2020, and involved a Williams Lake First Nation.
