First Nations Relations & Licensing
First Nations Relations & Licensing
TCSI provides consultation services to several first nations and indigenous companies, assisting them in obtaining their federal cannabis licences and helping them in achieving their business goals.
TCSI has substantial expertise liaising with the Health Canada Indigenous navigator program and has had successful indigenous licences granted across Canada.
TCSI is aware of the cultural complexity and the necessity to address the numerous economic and cultural challenges faced by indigenous people across the country.
Trichome Consulting Services will help you submit a complete regulatory application package that complies with all applicable requirements in order to quickly and effectively get your indigenous licence.
Indigenous Licensing Success Stories
TCSI in affiliation with All Nations, provides full application writing & consultation services to several First Nations, Indigenous businessmen & companies, assisting them in obtaining their federal cannabis licences and helping them in achieving their business goals.
All Nations is one of TCSI’s indigenous licencing success stories. On April 9, 2021, All Nations received their Standard Cultivation, Standard Processing, and Sales for Medical Purposes Licence thanks in large part to TCSI’s help.
Cultivation is the foundation for All Nations. All Nations state of the art facility in Shxwhá:y Village First Nation lands is built along the shores of the mighty Fraser River in Chilliwack, BC, Canada. This 30,000 square foot facility produces high quality, high yielding cannabis. This is the first of many All Nations cultivation facilities built in partnership with Indigenous people from across Canada.
Another indigenous licensing success story is Orion Cannabis Corp. (Formerly known as Prime Pot Inc.). Orion Cannabis Corp. is licensed for cultivation, processing, and medical sales under the Cannabis act. The company was first incorporated on March 3, 2014, and then received its first Health Canada cannabis licence on July 12, 2019, with the help of TCSI.
Here’s what they had to say about working with us:
“I’m with the QALIPU MI” KMAQ FIRST NATION and it’s been a privilege working with John Karroll and his team. We have had a great working relationship and major accomplishments over the last six years to become a Health Canada LP under the new CTLS program. Trichome Consulting and their professional team of Cannabis experts provided full application writing services, and delivered a successful commercial license for Cultivation, Processing and Sales. As an indigenous First Nations applicant, their knowledge and guidance were significant in advising our team, plus educating us on the commercial requirements. We at Orion Cannabis Corp. recommend Trichome Consulting Services to all First Nations and their communities, as they will benefit from having Trichome Consulting Experts on their team throughout the application process, ongoing operations and as a liaison with Health Canada. In summary, I strongly recommend Trichome Consulting Services to facilitate your application and submission requirements. – Orion Cannabis Corp.”
Section 119
Section 119 allows the BC government to enter into agreements with an Indigenous nation with respect to cannabis. BC’s Cannabis Control and Licensing Act restricts businesses from operating in both the cannabis production and retail sectors, but the section 119 agreement creates an allowance for this.
All Nations, an Indigenous TCSI client, announced on Nov 2nd, 2022, that they launched their first retail location and became the first cannabis farmgate in the Lower Mainland under Section 119 of the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act.
“I think that will be good for Indigenous communities and Indigenous entrepreneurs who want to get into the cannabis industry to be able to enter into the licensed cannabis regime, because ultimately we feel that’s the long term path here–through a licensed process under the federal government for cultivation and processing and then harmonizing through section 119 with FN and the province for licensing (retail).” DARWIN DOUGLAS, CEO ALL NATIONS CANNABIS
Self-identify as an Indigenous affiliated applicant
Indigenous affiliation can include:
- any person or persons of First Nation, Inuit or Métis descent
- any community, organization or business associated with a First Nation, Inuit or Métis government, organization or community
Self-identification is optional.
To assist Indigenous affiliated applicants during the application and licencing processes as well as once they have obtained a licence, Health Canada provides the Indigenous Navigator Service.
Indigenous related candidates have the option to request a two-stage evaluation that enables them to begin applying before the site is completely created. In this instance, Health Canada will examine your licence application twice. Before your site is fully developed, a preliminary in-depth examination is conducted. Health Canada will notify you when the review is complete and ask you to turn in your site evidence package. After developing your site, you’ll need to provide your site evidence package. Then, your application will go through a second comprehensive evaluation.
There is a section to identify your application as Indigenous affiliated in the Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System (CTLS). Once this section is filled out in the CTLS, you’ll be able to choose a review process. The Navigator service will reach out to you for an introductory teleconference after you’ve submitted your license application.