First cannabis production license issued on Six Nations

The Six Nations Cannabis Commission (SNCC) has issued its first license to a cannabis production facility on Six Nations.

The license comes after almost three years of work from community members, community input and expert assistance in developing regulations for a safe cannabis industry on Six Nations.

“The hard work and ingenuity of Six Nations entrepreneurs is the foundation of our community’s economy,” said SNCC Chief Commissioner Nahnda Garlow. “Licensed cannabis industry participants and business owners are asserting Indigenous economic sovereignty and investing in the future of our community by abiding by the health and safety regulations outlined in the Six Nations of the Grand River Cannabis Control Law (SNGRCCL) and giving back a portion of all sales to a community contribution.”

Six Nations of the Grand River (SNGR) elected council created the SNCC to develop and implement a comprehensive cannabis regulatory regime aimed at ensuring the health and safety of community members and that cannabis businesses operating on the territory are contributing to the economic well-being of all Six Nations people.

Elected Council enacted the Cannabis Law on June 21, 2021 after a number of protests from community members who say band council does not have the jurisdiction to create or enforce laws on the territory.

The Cannabis Commission stated it has governing authority, “pursuant to section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and pursuant to the powers and ancillary powers set out in section 81 of the Indian Act, including the power to create offences and to enforce compliance by penalties and other means.”

The commission also stated that the law is consistent with the recognition of Indigenous political and legal institutions in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“Anyone who wishes to operate a cannabis business (production or retail sale) on Six Nations Territory must apply for and be issued a licence by SNCC, and comply with the ongoing licensing and health and safety requirements contained in the SNGRCCL and the SNGRCCL Regulations which can be found online at www.sncannabis.com,” the commission said in a statement issued Monday.

A separate coalition of community members with interests in the cannabis industry has created its own regulations and opened retail sales locations under those provisions instead of the SNCC.

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