Municipalities got more information from the province Thursday about the rules for cannabis retail operations when they become legal this summer. Provincial representatives addressed the Municipal Officials Seminar in Brandon, put on by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. AMM President Chris Goertzen says they got some of answers they were looking for but adds there are some questions that remain.

"There was some good information provided by the provincial government. There are additional questions that municipalities have, but we got some clarity as to some of the choices that municipalities have in front of them. We welcome the information but we still have additional questions that will need to be answered in the coming months."

For example, Goertzen says the province is still not saying how many retail cannabis outlets will be permitted in rural Manitoba. Furthermore, he says they heard for the first time Thursday that the rules on retail marijuana sales may be eased two years from now to allow more of a wide open market.

"It certainly was interesting to hear the information that this is a staged approach. That was new information for many municipalities and so that brings about more questions than less questions."

Goertzen also says AMM has yet to hear from the province on its demand that municipalities receive 33 per cent of excise taxes from cannabis sales to help cover additional costs for such things as policing, training and bylaw enforcement.