UPDATE: Saskatoon council votes to decrease cannabis store business licence renewal fee
The fee to renew a business licence for Saskatoon cannabis retail stores may be going down substantially.
The initial licence to open a cannabis shop in the city is $20,000. That won’t change, but what could change is the $10,000 annual licence renewal fee.
A committee took a step forward this week in lowering the fee.
“Last year when cannabis became legal, city council, not unanimously, a 6-5 vote, voted to have business licences at $20,000 and then a $10,000 renewal fee,” said Ward 3 Coun. Ann Iwanchuk.
“The committee (on Monday) approved a $500 renewal fee as opposed to the $10,000.”
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A standard business licence in Saskatoon is $125, and the renewal fee is $85.
Iwanchuk wants the annual renewal fee to be even lower than what is being proposed for cannabis retail stores.
“I’m advocating for an $85 renewal fee which is the same as liquor establishments in the city. I don’t think there’s any … rationale that should make this one particular business pay a higher fee than every other business in the city,” she said.
“We’ll be talking about that again at council, but at least it’s down from $10,000 to $500, providing it’s approved at council.”
The next city council meeting is scheduled for Aug. 26.
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