More than 100 applicants vie for up to 4 pot retailer spots

There are up to four spots available, but Manitoba received more than 100 submissions from applicants hoping to sell marijuana in the province.

The province received significant interestin itsrequest for proposals,which launched on Nov. 7 and closed Dec. 22, according to a news release sent Thursday.

According to the request, the province will choose "up to four proposals" and enter into at least one retailer agreement with each applicant it chooses.

Grocery and drugstore giant Loblaws told CBC News in November it would look at the proposal, butsmaller businesses could make applications, too.

The Winnipeg-based licensed producer Delta 9confirmed Thursday it made ajoint submission with Canopy Growth, based in Ontario, earlier this month.

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The government has started evaluating the potential retailers and will make its choice by February.

After that, applicants are expected to sign retail agreements in the spring, the release says. The stores could start operating as early as July 2, 2018.

"We remain committed to establishing a highly competitive retail environment that creates new economic opportunities at the community level," said Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen in the written release.

The Manitoba government announcedplans in November for a hybrid modelfor selling cannabis in the province once the drug becomes legal next year.

Private retail stores will sell marijuana in the province, but tracking it and securing supply will be handled by the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corp.

• Most Manitoba municipalities plan to allow cannabis sales

The province also gave municipalities a Dec. 22 deadline to decide if they'd allow pot sales. In the lead up to the deadline, 84 municipalities contacted by CBC News said they planned to allow sales.

Thirteen municipalities said they won't allow cannabis sales, 28 abstained from answering and 12 did not respond to or declinedCBC'srequest for information.