Saskatoon cannabis store owners are breathing a sigh of relief after city council decided to reduce the amount they collect from their annual business licence fee.
Cierra Sieben-Chuback is one of the business owners who is getting a break from the $10,000 fee.
“To see is be actually $85 was really really exciting and I consider it a huge win for the cannabis retailers in Saskatoon,” said the owner of Living Skies Cannabis.
Most businesses in the city pay $85 as part of their annual fee to renew licences.
Council voted six-to-four in favour of bringing the fee down to the standard rate.
One councillor who voted against the motion said she was for bringing the fee down to $500 because of the extra work around regulating the industry.
“There have been appropriately I think, comparisons to the liquor industry. And I’m sure that in a very short number of years this industry will look exactly like that one does. For right now, it doesn’t and it does require extra resources,” Coun. Hilary Gough said on Tuesday.
Sieben-Chuback added $10,000 was something business owners had to prepare for and consider in their yearly budget.
“It’s not really about money. It’s just about being treated fairly. And to see that actually happen is just a massive win,” she said.
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