Lift & Co. Announces CannSell: Mandatory Certification for Ontario Cannabis Retailers
/NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES/
– In partnership with MADD Canada, Lift & Co. has developed CannSell, a mandatory training program for Ontario cannabis retailers and staff
– Pursuant to Ontario Law, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has approved CannSell as the sole approved training program for Ontario's private cannabis retailers
– CannSell launches on February 25, 2019 at cannsell.ca
TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2019 /CNW/ - Lift & Co. Corp. (TSXV: LIFT) ("Lift & Co." or the "Company") is pleased to announce today that it has received a multi-year approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario ("AGCO") Board for its new CannSell retail certification program, the only approved cannabis retail training program in the Province of Ontario. Pursuant to the Cannabis License Act and Ontario Regulation 468/18, all Ontario cannabis retail employees, holders of retail store authorizations and holders of cannabis retail manager licences, must be CannSell certified prior to legally working in the Province's cannabis retail stores.
CannSell (cannsell.ca, cannsell.ca/fr) launches on February 25, 2019 as a four-hour training program, allowing Ontario retailers plenty of time to have their staff certified ahead of the anticipated opening of cannabis retail locations in the Province on April 1, 2019.
CannSell was developed in partnership with MADD Canada, the country's leading voice on the prevention of impaired driving. Ontario retailers, licence holders and prospective employees interested in gaining employment in Canada's fast-growing cannabis industry are encouraged to visit cannsell.ca starting today to learn more about the certification.
"CannSell is the logical next step for us after already setting the retail education standard in several other Canadian provinces. We commend the AGCO for recognizing our unwavering commitment to acting as the cannabis information authority in Canada," said Matei Olaru, CEO of Lift & Co. "With Ontario representing close to 40 per cent of the Canadian population, Lift & Co. will now be forever shaping the future of the cannabis industry in Canada."
"After reviewing a number of programs and providers from across Canada, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has approved CannSell as the training program that all employees of privately-run cannabis retail stores in Ontario will be required to complete," said Jean Major, Registrar and CEO of the AGCO. "The overarching objective of the program is to educate cannabis retail employees on the responsible sale of cannabis, as well as their legal and regulatory obligations. Lift & Co. and MADD have been able to leverage their experience to develop a customized employee training program for Ontario that will be ready in advance of stores opening in April 2019."
"Effective training programs for cannabis retail sales staff will help reduce the risk of impaired driving," said MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie. "With our extensive expertise in education and awareness around the prevention of impaired driving, MADD Canada is proud to team with Lift & Co to develop and deliver comprehensive training that includes a strong emphasis on the risks of driving under the influence of cannabis, and how to prevent it."
About CannSell
CannSell is the only AGCO Board approved cannabis retail training program in the Province of Ontario. All Ontario cannabis retail employees, holders of retail store authorizations and cannabis retail manager licences must be CannSell certified prior to working. At launch, CannSell training consists of a self-guided eLearning certification program, delivered through a Lift & Co.-branded learning management system ("LMS"), offered in both English and French. CannSell retails for $49.99 CAD + tax and is compatible across desktop, tablet and mobile. To successfully obtain CannSell certification, students are required to earn at least 80 per cent on a final exam, administered digitally as part of the LMS at the conclusion of the training modules.
The CannSell curriculum takes roughly four hours to complete and covers a broad range of topics. The overarching objective of the program is to educate cannabis retail employees on the responsible sale of cannabis, as well as their legal and regulatory obligations. The training will also provide basic knowledge about cannabis to ensure those who are selling it understand its various forms, effects and the potential risks and harms of cannabis use, including impaired driving.
CannSell is the latest retail training solution offered by Lift & Co. Existing clients for Lift & Co. retail training certifications include the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation, Prince Edward Island Cannabis Management Corporation and numerous private retailers across the country.
About the Ontario retail cannabis industry
Canada's cannabis sector is rapidly expanding. According to a recent Deloitte studyi, the industry is expected to add as many as 150,000 jobs over the next several years. In Ontario, retail cannabis employees will service the Province's estimated 2 million current adult cannabis consumers and expected 1.3 million cannabis "considerers."ii The Ontario cannabis market is expected to grow from $930 million CAD in 2019 to $2.4 billion CAD in 2021iii. And cannabis retail employees are expected to play a central role in cannabis purchase decisions. A recent U.S. surveyiv indicated that more than 90% of consumers strongly consider the retail employee's recommendation when making a cannabis purchase.
Follow CannSell on Facebook @CannSellCanada
Lift & Co. on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @liftandco
About Lift & Co.
Lift & Co. (TSXV: LIFT) is a publicly-traded technology company modernizing the cannabis industry.
About MADD Canada
MADD Canada is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. To learn more, visit www.madd.ca.
Forward-looking statements
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.
There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and the Company does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.
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i Statistics Canada, as reported by BNN https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/toronto-pot-company-offers-50-hour-for-cannabis-connoisseur-jobs-1.1140081 |
ii CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marijuana-pot-poll-survey-1.3312151 and Canada 2016 Census https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=35&Geo2=&Code2=&Data=Count&SearchText=Ontario&Sear |
iii Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Legalized Cannabis: Fiscal Considerations http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/web/default/files/Documents/Reports/2016/Legalized%20Cannabis/Legalized%20Canabis%20Fiscal%20Considerations_EN.pdf |
iv Brightfield Group: Insights for Dispensaries: The Importance of Budtenders https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/post/insights-for-dispensaries-the-importance-of-budtenders |
SOURCE Lift & Co. Corp.
Media inquiries, including interview requests, logos and the CannSell Fact Sheet: Lift & Co., Scott Campbell, Director of Communications, 647-402-4957, [email protected]; Nikki Laoutaris, Manager of Communications, 647-464-0148, [email protected]; MADD Canada: Andrew Murie, MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer, 416-720-7642, [email protected]; Eric Dumschat, MADD Canada Legal Counsel, 905-330-4632, [email protected]; Investor Relations inquiries: Thesis Capital, Prit Singh, 905-510-7636, [email protected]
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