Legal cannabis rakes in close to $130K in first 4 days in the N.W.T.

In the first four days of legalization, the N.W.T. government raked in about $129,600.

Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod told MLA's Tuesday that close to $11,000 was from online sales.

Meanwhile, three of the territory's five liquor stores selling cannabis are out of product.

In the legislature Tuesday, Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart said he's received complaints that online orders of cannabis haven't been shipped.

"Is product left in the Northwest Territories?" he asked McLeod.

Country-wide problem

McLeod said "this is an issue that is facing the whole country."

The territory is currently working with three major cannabis suppliers, but McLeod said his department is trying to find more federally-approved suppliers to help meet demand.

"Once the initial rush is off, we think things will probably stabilize a bit," he said.

"I am not sure that we anticipated the level that was going to be needed, as far as cannabis goes, across the country."

3 retailers waiting for stock

Fort Smith's liquor store ran out on Oct. 18, and staff there says it will "hopefully" get another shipment this Thursday.

Hay River Liquor Retailers Ltd. ran out Friday and their staff say they're still waiting for delivery.

In Yellowknife, the uptown liquor store ran out by 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 — the first day recreational cannabis became legal in Canada.

It was able to restock the following day, but by Monday the liquor store posted on Facebook that it was out of cannabis "until further notice."

A follow-up post indicates the store expects delivery on Thursday.

CBC News has put in several requests to the Department of Finance for numbers on cannabis sales, and on what remains from the initial 30 kilograms the government purchased, but those numbers have not been provided.

CBC News has also requested an interview with the N.W.T. Liquor and Cannabis Commission about the cannabis supply in the territory, but no one has been made available.