1.7 SellSafe Cannabis Staff Training program (SellSafe)

Retail Cannabis Store Handbook

Policies

  1. A licensee must meet SellSafe Cannabis Staff Training certification requirements.
  2. SellSafe certification is mandatory for the following full time and part time staff:
    1. licensed premises owners that are responsible for directly managing a retail cannabis store;
    2. licensed premises managers, supervisors, retailers, and cashiers;
    3. security staff (directly employed or contracted by the licensee); and
    4. direct supervisors of employees of a company contracted to provide security.
  3. SellSafe certification is not required for staff working full time or part time as cleaning staff in licensed premises.
  4. (Deleted Jan 2022)
  5. (Deleted Jan 2022)
  6. (Deleted Jan 2022)
  7. SellSafe certification must be maintained by successfully repeating the SellSafe program (including passing the exam) before the certification expiration date.
  8. Licensee staff must provide proof of SellSafe certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector. Proof of SellSafe certification includes:
    1. paper printed certification card that has a QR code;
    2. (Deleted Jan 2022)
    3. clear image of the certification card (i.e. image, photograph or screen shot) saved on the staff member’s mobile device/phone. (Amended Jan 2022)
  9. (Deleted Jan 2022)
  10. (Deleted Jan 2022)
  11. An industry worker’s certification will be placed into conditional status when an employee at a licensed premises is found to violate any of the following:
    1. Section 90.05(a) GLCA: sell or provide cannabis to a person intoxicated by liquor or a drug;
    2. Section 90.05(b) GLCA: permit a person intoxicated by liquor or a drug to use cannabis; and
    3. Section 90.03(2)(3) GLCA: failure to ask for proof of age for those persons who appear to be under 25 years of age;
    4. Section 90.03(1) GLCA: permit a minor to enter or be in the licensed premises; and (Added Feb 2019)
    5. Section 90.04 GLCA: give or sell or permit a person to give or sell cannabis to a minor in a licensed premises. (Added Feb 2019)
  12. Industry workers whose SellSafe certification is placed into conditional status may continue working at a licensed premises, however, they are required to successfully complete SellSafe certification and pay all required fees within 30 days from the date of notification by AGLC. Failure to do so will cancel their SellSafe certification.
  13. Industry workers placed on conditional status may appeal the violation in writing to the Vice President, Regulatory Services Division, within 14 days of the date of notification by AGLC. The decision of the Vice President is final.
  14. Industry workers whose appeal of the violation is unsuccessful will have 30 days from the date of the appeal outcome to recertify.
  15. If an industry worker incurs three violations within a five-year period they will be ineligible for SellSafe certification for a minimum of 5 years.
  16. An industry worker’s SellSafe certification will be immediately suspended if charged federally or provincially with the offence of giving, selling, or supplying cannabis to a minor.
  17. An industry worker whose SellSafe certification is suspended is not permitted to continue working at a licensed premises.
    1. If found not guilty of the charges, the worker may reapply to AGLC for reinstatement of their SellSafe certification and their Qualified Cannabis Worker status; or
    2. If found guilty of the charges, the worker’s SellSafe certification will be cancelled and they will not be permitted to recertify or apply for Qualified Cannabis Worker status for a minimum of 5 years.

 

Guidelines

Back to Retail Cannabis Store Handbook
  1. SellSafe is a social responsibility training program designed to help industry staff understand:
    1. the social responsibility policies that are important for their jobs;
    2. how to prevent minors from purchasing cannabis; and
    3. risks for cannabis related harms. 
      (Amended Jan 2022)
  2. (Deleted Jan 2022)
  3. The SellSafe certification program is found on the SMART Training website at sellsafe.aglc.ca.