Across Canada, recreational use of cannabis is now a controlled substance but Cochranites won’t be able to wander downtown to make a purchase today or likely for a couple of months.

Planner Adam Nordquist, who is processing the cannabis retail store applications, says they have received a total of six applications. Five were received on Oct. 1, the first day they were being accepted, and a sixth came in two days later.

Up until now, the town has been completing an initial review of the applications to make sure all the necessary information was provided. Now they will be working through the applications in the order they were received.

“We’re going to be reviewing and circulating these permits now and it will take some time,” says Nordquist. “So none of these will actually be ready to open Oct. 17 but we’re hoping to get them a notice of decision in the next month or so and then they can proceed with their AGLC (Alberta Gaming an Liquor Commission) license application as well as any tenant improvements that they may need.”

All applicants are seeking downtown locations and with the tight perimeters established by the town four of the locations are in conflict so all six won't be successful. Among those applying are Plant Life, Canna Cabana, West Coast Cannabis Store and Westleaf.

The town has a separate development permit process in place for medicinal cannabis that predates the retail process.

“We have had some inquiries but we haven’t had a formal application yet,” says Cochrane Planning Manager Riley Welden.

Getting a town development permit is just one of the steps cannabis retailers have to satisfy, points out Welden. They are also required to obtain a licence from the AGLC.

In the meantime, Cochranites have other options. They can travel out of town to make their purchase (two stores open today at 10 a.m. in Calgary) or order online through the monopoly established by the Alberta government.

Meanwhile, local municipal officials will be learning how much money they’ll be eligible to receive from the provincial government to offset the costs they face to administer and enforce laws and bylaws surrounding the controlled substance.

Dave Devana, Cochrane Chief Administrative Officer, says the town does not have any details on the funding formula of the Municipal Cannabis Transition Program announced Monday by the provincial government. Devana and Mayor Jeff Genung are scheduled to attend the Mid Cities Mayor Caucus on Oct. 18-19 and anticipate receiving more details there.

Here’s a basic overview of rules surrounding the purchase and use of cannabis use.

- only if you're 18+

- only from licensed stores or albertacannabis.org

- 30 grams is the most you can buy or carry at a time

- you can't smoke marijuana in public in Cochrane town limits

 - only four plants can be grown per household

 - driving high is illegal

 - it can't be within reach of anyone in a vehicle

 - edibles are not yet legal to sell

- kids can't enter cannabis stores, even with an adult