Assure Occupational Safety flagged down the latest information on cannabis in the workplace for a day while legislation continues to change at federal, provincial and municipal levels.

The Lloydminster company hosted its Cannabis & Workplace Safety Conference for safety-sensitive employers and company owners at the Royal Hotel on May 29, while Canada’s recreational cannabis legalization bill makes progress in the Senate.

“As cannabis legislation keeps evolving —both governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan have shared with us what they’ve decided and what they know so far today,” said Assure CEO Jon Rokochy at the event.

“There is still more things to be answered, so as details come out in the months ahead we will have updates for the public.”

The conference included presentations from medical and legal experts, provincial and city policy developers and health and safety experts to equip businesses with tools to effectively address medical and recreation cannabis in the workplace.

Rokochy said the event was a great opportunity for employers and company owners to ask some questions about the upcoming cannabis legislations.

He said the desired outcome for the conference is that employers leave more educated on how to update and implement a substance abuse policy based on what they learned about medical and soon to be legal recreational cannabis.

“I think this conference was a great step because the attendees saw there was the provincial piece and how it boiled down into the municipal piece and how those pieces fit together,” said City of Lloydminster clerk Doug Rodwell.

He said that also goes for a talk by Dr. Vernon Naidoo on medical cannabis and a presentation on impairment in the workplace by Alberta Labour.

“I think it sort of brings everything together and allows people to fully understand what legalization looks like,” said Rodwell.

He spoke at the conference on Lloydminster’s regulations for legalized cannabis, noting Saskatchewan has authorized two licences for the city that is also aware of eight cannabis retail applications in Alberta.

“It’s very important to note that none of those licences can be issued—nobody can set up shop until they meet all the municipal legislation, and council has yet to give their second and third reading to that legislation,” he said.

“We’re hoping in the coming weeks and months we’ll have that taken care of and then we can move forward and start to deal with any applicants.”

Rodwell said being a border city with Alberta and Saskatchewan has meant harmonizing both legislations so they match and the city and residents are treated equitably.

He went on to caution it was said best by the Saskatchewan and Alberta representatives at the conference that legislation and information continues to change.

“The federal law has not yet been made,” said Rodwell.

“We’re still waiting for them to provide us with the final direction so things may still change, and as I said this is going to be an evolution.”

The Senate accepted an amendment on May 28 that gives provinces the authority to ban growing marijuana plants at home.