Alberta pot shops to offer 300 products

When cannabis is officially legal in a few months, Albertans will have plenty of products to choose from.

The Alberta government plans to have about 300 products available for consumers once cannabis stores open their doors on October 17, though that number includes a variety of sizes.

"Three hundred doesn't mean 300 completely different products," said Alain Maisonneuve, the president and CEO of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.

"Three hundred includes different package sizes, it covers both dried leaf and oil, which will be legal at the beginning.

"Over time again it will evolve into different products depending what happens federally."

'The best variety'

The AGLC is now in the process of securing contracts with a variety of suppliers who are eager to do business in Alberta.

"We are aware that it's a very dynamic marketplace at the beginning, " Maisonneuve said.

"We want to make sure we are able to provide Albertans with the best variety."

Over the past 15 months, the Alberta government has been building what it calls a "system of cannabis", which Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley said is built on four priorities.

"We think we've built a system that at its core prioritizes the health and safety of Albertans," she said during a teleconference Thursday afternoon.

The government's strategy will prioritize keeping cannabis out of children's hands, protecting public health, promoting safety on roads, in workplaces and public spaces, and limiting the illegal market for cannabis, Ganley said.

The AGLC will be the only online distributor in the province and it's expected the system will be ready to go in October.