Article content continued

“I certainly can say Sundial will add supply and diversity to the market and we hope it will ease some of the pressure,” she said.

“But we’re starting small — it’s baby steps. As the supply comes on we will ship more to Alberta.”

The company is also aiming to sell its own line of medical marijuana products to patients beginning early next year.

Launching in Alberta to long lines of customers as recreation cannabis stores opened their doors in October, the industry has been plagued with supply problems from coast to coast.

After AGLC announced it was temporarily withholding retail licences and denying new applications the provincial-run agency said it had only received about 20 per cent of the supply initially ordered from suppliers before legalization — enough to provide for 250 stores over the first six months.

On Monday, AGLC spokeswoman Chara Goodings said the situation hasn’t changed since then, with the agency rationing out whatever weekly supply it gets to Alberta’s 65 existing licensed cannabis retailers, while maintaining a smaller share for its own online customers, many of whom live in communities that don’t have access to shops.

“We’re about the same now as we were. Until Health Canada really starts giving more licences out, we’re all digging from the same pile,” she said.

“(Sundial’s approval) will definitely help, but it all depends on how much they can consistently supply.”

The dearth of product has prompted AGLC to seek expressions of interest from new suppliers that can add to the 15 licensed producers the province currently draws from. The deadline to apply is Wednesday.