The SellSafe program is a mandatory certification program designed to help licensed retail cannabis store staff understand how to sell legal cannabis responsibly.

SellSafe will help staff understand what their responsibilities are to their customers. The program also helps workers understand what Alberta's cannabis laws and AGLC's policies are so they can follow them. These rules help protect people working in the cannabis industry, their property, their customers, and the public from cannabis-related harms.

SellSafe does not include information on all cannabis laws and policies.

To work in Alberta's cannabis industry as a cannabis representative employee or as retail store staff, you must be recognized as a Qualified Cannabis Worker. SellSafe certification is required to apply.

The SellSafe program is designed to help licensed retail cannabis store staff understand how to sell legal cannabis responsibly.

The goal of the program is to ensure that staff have appropriate training to educate customers about the potency of products and the risks associated with cannabis use. Staff must also be trained to uphold the rules around the purchase of cannabis, including checking customers' identification to make sure they are of legal age.

The SellSafe program is a mandatory certification program designed to help licensed retail cannabis store staff understand how to sell legal cannabis responsibly.

SellSafe will help staff understand what their responsibilities are to their customers. The program also helps workers understand what Alberta's cannabis laws and AGLC's policies are so they can follow them.

SellSafe does not authorize retail cannabis workers to give medical advice. Customers who ask for help or information to use legal recreational cannabis for medical purposes should be referred to their doctor or other medical professional.

SellSafe certification is mandatory for the following full- and part-time staff:

• Licensed premises owners who are responsible for directly managing a retail cannabis store;
• Licensed premises managers, supervisors, retailers, and cashiers;
• Security staff (directly employed or contracted by the licensee); and
• Direct supervisors of employees of a company contracted to provide security.

SellSafe certification is also mandatory for managers, supervisors and all employees of a cannabis representative involved in the marketing, promotion and sales of a cannabis supplier's products.

SellSafe certification is not required for staff working full-time or part-time as cleaning staff in licensed premises.

Click here to see the certifications required for various positions in the liquor, gaming and retail cannabis industries, as well as the associated costs and timelines for each program.

To work in Alberta's cannabis industry as a cannabis representative employee or as retail store staff, you must be recognized as a Qualified Cannabis Worker. AGLC's QCW requirements are online at aglc.ca.

Prospective cannabis representative employees involved in the marketing, promotion and sales of cannabis products in Alberta, and retail store staff must be SellSafe-certified before applying to be a Qualified Cannabis Worker.

SellSafe certification is not required for staff working full-time or part-time as cleaning staff in licensed premises.

More information about SellSafe's policies is in Section 1.7 of the Retail Cannabis Store Handbook and Section 2.3 of the Cannabis Agency Handbook, online at aglc.ca.

Licensee staff must provide must provide proof of SellSafe certification at the request of an AGLC Inspector. Failure to present proof of SellSafe certification may result in disciplinary action. Proof of SellSafe certification includes:

• Paper printed versions that have a QR code
• The Personal Information page printed from the staff member's SMART account
• Clear images of any of the above (i.e., image, photograph or screen shot) saved on the staff member's mobile device/phone).

Licensees with uncertified staff could face penalties such as a warning, fine, licence suspension or termination.

More information about SellSafe's policies is in Section 1.7 of the Retail Cannabis Store Handbook and Section 2.3 of the Cannabis Agency Handbook, online at aglc.ca.

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:

• Section 90.03(1) GLCA: permit a minor to enter or be in the licensed premises
• Section 90.03(2)(3) GLCA: failure to ask for proof of age from a person who appears to be under 25
• Section 90.04 GLCA: sell, give or permit a person to sell or give cannabis to a minor in a licensed premises
• Section 90.05(a) GLCA: sell or provide cannabis to a person apparently intoxicated by liquor or a drug
• Section 90.05(b) GLCA: permit a person intoxicated by liquor or a drug to use cannabis

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.

See the Cannabis legislation and policies page of the AGLC website for more information.

Policy and program content may change after industry workers are certified. Licensee staff are responsible for reviewing the program content, legislation and the policy handbooks to keep their knowledge current.

Licensees must keep a log of employees who are SellSafe-certified, including the following information:

• Employee name as it appears on the certificate
• SMART Programs registration number; and
• Expiry date

Note: The information listed above may be kept in the same log as the Qualified Cannabis Worker log (s. 1.6.7 RCSH). This log is subject to review by AGLC.

AGLC's liquor, gaming and cannabis policies are online at aglc.ca.

See the Frequently Asked Questions and Contact Us pages, or contact SMART Programs: