Metrc Retail ID Launches Pilot Project in Alberta to Improve Transparency and Safety of Cannabis Products

Two Edmonton-based cannabis companies—Plantlife, a cannabis retail chain, and Token Naturals, a cannabis producer—and US-based technology company

Two Edmonton-based cannabis companies and a US-based technology firm are launching a pilot project in Alberta designed to improve the transparency and safety of cannabis products.

As part of the public-private partnership, Metrc will employ quick response (QR) codes using Retail ID to provide consumers with real-time access to data such as lab test results, Certificate of Analysis (COA), product origin, potency, authenticity, and supplemental information, including cannabinoids, terpenes, cultivar, and photos.

Ultimately, this will help consumers identify legal cannabis products and learn more about them.

“Alberta is leading the charge in making government and markets more efficient by reducing red tape and unlocking the potential of private enterprise,” said Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction.

“This pilot is yet another example of that effort: using technology to increase consumer confidence and transparency, reduce inefficiencies, and keep Albertans safe.”

The pilot project is launching following proposed amendments by Health Canada in 2024 to expand labelling options by permitting the use of QR codes on any container used to package a cannabis product.

The proposed changes would authorize QR codes on cannabis products for any purpose, such as inventory and tracking purposes, or providing consumers access to websites or other information.

Those changes could come into force in the coming weeks, but an early election could pause those efforts. Health Canada in the past has instructed producers to remove QR codes.

“Metrc Retail ID unlocks existing data from across the supply chain and makes it available to consumers,” said Metrc’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Michael Johnson.

“Instead of product information being siloed within businesses, we’re creating transparency for the consumer.”

Keenan Pascal, CEO of Token Naturals, says the Metrc system will help the company make buying cannabis a more consumer-friendly process.

“Token Naturals works to make the cannabis industry more accessible to participate in,” said Pascal.

“By adopting Metrc’s Retail ID system, we would be ushering in the next generation of the cannabis industry, one that is transparent, responsible and engaging by leveraging existing information to enhance consumer awareness.”

Token Naturals will use Metrc’s software to generate and print product-specific QR codes and ship them with select products to Plantlife dispensaries.

When a consumer purchases the selected product, Plantlife will provide a QR code sticker for the consumer to scan with their phone. Once scanned, the QR code navigates to a landing page that provides additional product information in a user-friendly format.

Plantlife Cannabis’ vice-president of operations, Ian Scott, says the company often receives inquiries from customers who wish to better understand label and packaging information.

“The technology reinforces why consumers should be buying from the legal, regulated market,” said Scott.

“These products are rigorously tested and safe for consumption, and with Retail ID, consumers will now know exactly what they’re putting into their bodies – something the illicit market can’t compete with.”

Throughout the pilot project, Metrc says it will look to streamline the evaluation process by bridging the gap between cannabis growers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and regulators.

Metrc has previously announced several track-and-trace partnerships with cannabis businesses in the US and internationally.