'They don't run the risk of dipping into the public purse'

A manager with the Consumer Choice Center is calling for changes to Nova Scotia's cannabis model.

David Clement says our province should move toward a private sector approach, rather than entirely government control.

"The retail model in the province is flawed from the start, mostly because it's trying, it's getting the government to try and do things we already know the private sector is better at doing," says Clement. "It's better at allocating resources, and they don't run the risk of dipping into public purse."

This comes after the NSLC released their third quarter results last week showing they fell short of turning a profit even with $17.4 million in sales.

Clement is the North American Affairs Manager for the Consumer Choice Center, and he says the McNeil government should look at Manitoba's model and follow suit.

"It's a great example of a model that can work towards meeting consumer needs via physical store fronts and private delivery options, while also turning a profit, and the best part of that equation is that if a business fails, taxpayers are not on the hook for that failure," says Clement.

He urges Canadian governments to opt for a private approach as he believes it increases consumer access, while also shifting the financial burden of failure away from taxpayers.