British Columbia, Gitanmaax Band expand cannabis agreement to support Indigenous economic participation

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BC and Gitanmaax cannabis agreement

Highlights

British Columbia and the Gitanmaax Band signed the province's eighth cannabis agreement, expanding Gitanmaax's operating flexibility in both production and retail sectors.
The agreement allows Gitanmaax to sell Indigenous arts and crafts alongside cannabis on-reserve, supporting local employment and economic development.
Gitanmaax's retail store benefits from the BC Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund, fostering increased Indigenous participation and supply in the province's regulated cannabis market.

Cannabis agreement broadens operating flexibility

As reported by BC Gov News, the agreement is the eighth of its kind under British Columbia's framework for working with Indigenous governments in the cannabis sector. It builds on Gitanmaax's existing provincially licensed retail operation and allows the community to advance cannabis priorities in line with local economic and community interests.

The arrangement gives Gitanmaax greater scope to operate in both production and retail. It also allows some modifications to operating rules for on-reserve stores, including the sale of Indigenous arts and crafts alongside cannabis products.

Section 119 of the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act authorizes the Province to make these agreements with Indigenous governments. The framework is designed to support regulated cannabis access while advancing shared goals on public health and safety, social responsibility, youth protection, deterrence of illicit activity, and socio-economic and cultural well-being.

Local employment and sector growth in focus

Provincial officials say the agreement supports broader efforts to expand Indigenous participation in Canada's regulated cannabis market. Chief Councillor Roger Sterritt says the arrangement is expected to provide greater flexibility for Gitanmaax's retail operations and create additional opportunities for local employment and economic development.

The province also links the deal to its push to strengthen British Columbia's cannabis industry through more locally produced and Indigenous-grown supply. Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food, says the agreement supports economic growth in local communities while reinforcing the province's position as home to a diverse cannabis sector.

Gitanmaax's community-led licensed retail store has also received support through the BC Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund. The program was co-developed by British Columbia and Canada with the BC Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Summit, and is administered by the New Relationship Trust to help First Nations communities and Indigenous entrepreneurs join or expand in the regulated cannabis industry.

In our earlier article on Canada’s Halifax Statement for the 2028–2033 national farm policy framework, we outlined how federal, provincial, and territorial ministers set priorities for competitiveness, resilience, and market diversification across the agri-food sector. We also noted planned updates to Business Risk Management programs (including AgriStability expense eligibility) and the rollout of a National Food Security Strategy aimed at strengthening domestic processing capacity and regional supply-chain resilience.

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