Amendments would let Manitoba cannabis stores drop window coverings for safety

Sign installers Victor Lagasse and Dwight Galbraith work on the finishing touches to the new Delta 9 Cannabis Store signage in Winnipeg, Manitoba Thursday, October 11 2018. Cannabis becomes legal in Canada on October 17. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

WINNIPEG — Cannabis stores across Manitoba may soon be able to remove window coverings that are required to prevent the public from seeing inside.

The Manitoba government has introduced amendments to the provincial Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act that would eliminate window coverings on all cannabis storefronts amid safety concerns.

The province says the change would increase visibility from outside the store and help make sure workers are not secluded from public view.

Matt Wiebe, minister of justice, says the safety of Manitobans is a priority.

Earlier this year, police reported a man attended a cannabis shop in Winnipeg and sexually assaulted a female employee after all the customers had left.

The province is also proposing changes to the act that would allow mandatory minimum staffing levels during certain hours to ensure that workers are not alone during times when there may be a higher risk of violence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2026.

The Canadian Press