Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia will now be able to open legal cannabis retail stores on reserve, following new regulations announced by the provincial government.

The changes allow a band or a band-owned corporation to become an authorized cannabis seller by signing an agreement with the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC), which remains the province’s sole legal cannabis distributor.

Cannabis sold in Mi’kmaw-run stores must be purchased through the NSLC and meet the same retail conditions applied across the province. That includes selling products in their original packaging, limiting sales to 30 grams per transaction, prohibiting sampling on-site, and preventing sales to minors or impaired individuals. Sellers must also display an NSLC certificate and complete responsible retail training.

The new framework is being framed as a response to concerns raised by Mi’kmaw leaders about the unregulated cannabis market operating in their communities.

“These changes will allow bands to open a legal store for those who wish to buy and use cannabis,” said Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, speaking on behalf of Finance Minister John Lohr.

There is currently only one authorized on-reserve cannabis store in the province, which opened in Eskasoni in 2022.

The changes follow a string of RCMP raids earlier this year that targeted 13 unlicensed dispensaries in Mi’kmaw communities across southwestern Nova Scotia. That enforcement effort, known as Project Highfield, resulted in 21 arrests and the seizure of over $1.2 million in products, firearms, and illegal cigarettes.

While police cited links to organized crime, Mi’kmaw leaders condemned the raids and said they violated Indigenous treaty rights. The Mi’kmaq Rights Association maintains that their dispensaries—often referred to as truckhouses—operate under Section 35 of the Constitution and the Peace and Friendship Treaties.

The new regulatory pathway does not retroactively legalize those dispensaries. It also does not include authorization for other third-party sellers beyond agreements made through the NSLC.

Government officials say the move balances the need for public safety with recognition of Indigenous concerns. But with legal challenges ongoing and protests still planned, the issue of cannabis sovereignty remains unresolved for many Mi’kmaw leaders.