A hefty fee may be in store for those set to open legal pot shops in Saskatoon.
City administrators are floating the idea of a $20,000 licensing fee for a shop’s first year of operation, and a $10,000 annual renewal charge. The usual licensing fee to open other types of commercial businesses in Saskatoon is $125, and the annual renewal fee is $85, by comparison.
“It is anticipated that there will be a significant impact on staffing resources when cannabis becomes legal in summer 2018. In order to offset these costs, an initial business license fee of $20,000, which is higher than the conventional business license fee, is being proposed,” a report outlining the proposal, and several other recommendations, reads.
“Once the long-term impact on resources is determined, the bylaw would be amended to reflect long-term costs.”
The idea is one of a handful proposed in the report, which is headed to a committee Wednesday at city hall. The suggestions, if eventually approved by city council, would make up the city’s cannabis licence bylaw.
Other ideas include requiring air filtration systems and restrictions on signs.
