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Legal pot in Alberta took another step closer to reality Tuesday when an American company was chosen to run the province’s online marijuana sales operation.

With Canada expected to legalize recreational pot this summer, OnX Enterprise Solutions received an initial three-year, $4.6-million contract to develop the provincial website and manage the system, an Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission (AGLC) spokesperson said.

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OnX, a subsidiary of Cincinnati Bell Inc., was one of six companies that applied last month to win the contract, which can be extended up to 10 years and a total of $15.8 million, Michelle Hynes-Dawson said.

“They certainly stood out for their experience. They have done similar work with e-commerce solutions around North America and the U.K. for organizations we’re very familiar with, like Canadian Tire, Loblaws … and American Express.”

The contract doesn’t provide OnX with incentives to boost sales, she said. The company’s website says it has more than 1,500 IT professionals and 22 offices in Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom.