THE Province has amended worker qualification regulations for non-medical cannabis workers to extend their security verification period from two to five years.

Until now, all cannabis workers in non-medical cannabis stores were required to renew their security verification every two years. Security screening and re-screening requirements were implemented as a measure to keep organized crime out of the legal, non-medical cannabis market.

Screenings involve background checks with police, courts and corrections databases. To date, 4,300 workers have been screened.

The change responds to the cannabis retail industry’s need for security-screened workers, reduces costs to cannabis workers and ensures they can continue employment without interruption. It will also allow provincial security screening resources to focus on the qualification of new workers rather than the requalification of current workers who are already working in the legal cannabis retail industry.

All workers with a current valid security screening will have their security verification period extended from the date of their initial verification. Security verifications for all new workers will be valid for five years.

Since legalization, government has worked to improve screening timelines and support industry growth, while maintaining public health and safety objectives.

View the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch policy directive here:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/business/liquor-regulation-licensing/liquor-law-policy/liquor-policy-directives