Background Checks Slowing Down Pot Store Approvals

The Province has received 430 applications for retail cannabis stores, and officials say about 390 of those are in the process of getting local government approval.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says a number of the applications require deeper background checks, and have to be thoroughly examined.

“A significant number of the applications we’ve received do require a deeper dive because we find alerts that come up in the initial background checks that there are some issues, whether or not they are criminal, but have to be thoroughly examined, so that work is taking place, and that tells me the process is in fact working,” Farnworth told a media tele-conference

The minister says that extensive process is one reason only a couple of pot stores have been given approval to open so far.