Opening a new pharmacy

Community pharmacy licence

• This category of licence is required to provide pharmacy services to or for a patient for which the patient or patient’s agent attends the pharmacy to receive the service.

Mail order pharmacy licence

• This category of licence is required, in addition to a community pharmacy licence, when
  • the pharmacy provides pharmacy services to or for a patient for which neither the patient nor the patient’s agent regularly attends the pharmacy to receive the service, AND
  • a pharmacist does not regularly attend personally on the patient to assess the patient and monitor the patient’s response to drug therapy.
• Regular in-person engagements between regulated members and patients are fundamental to the practice of pharmacy. Therefore, mail order pharmacy services cannot be provided on a general population basis; the provision of this type of service is limited to unique circumstances that make in-person care impractical or impossible. A licensee applicant is required to submit a Mail order pharmacy services proposal form if applying for this category of pharmacy licence.

Compounding and repackaging pharmacy licence

• This category of licence is required to compound or repackage drugs for another licensed pharmacy or institution pharmacy that will dispense or sell the compounded or repackaged drugs to or for a patient.
• A compounding and repackaging pharmacy must have an agreement in the form approved by council with each community pharmacy or institution pharmacy to which they provide compounding and repackaging services.

Satellite pharmacy licence

• This category of licence is only issued on an exceptional basis when patients require a pharmacy service that cannot be effectively provided in a community pharmacy.
  • Only the licensee of a licensed community pharmacy can be issued a satellite pharmacy licence.
  • A licensee of a community pharmacy who makes an application to operate a satellite pharmacy must provide a written rationale for the operation of a satellite pharmacy. The rationale must include the reasons why the patients who are expected to attend the satellite pharmacy require a pharmacy service that cannot be effectively provided in a community pharmacy, or reasons that make it necessary for those patients to receive a pharmacy service at a satellite pharmacy.

If you would like to open a new pharmacy, the first step is to submit a letter of intent in myACP. Additional information available in myACP.

• You must be a pharmacist in good standing with ACP, including, but not limited to
  • no conditions or restrictions on your practice permit,
  • no outstanding complaints that have been referred to a Hearing Tribunal or outstanding sanctions ordered by the Hearing Tribunal, and
  • no other restrictions on practice or requirements to submit for assessment under Section 118 of the Health Professions Act.
• You must submit an Enhanced Police Information Check that was completed within the past six months.
• You must complete Part A and Part B of ACP’s Licensee Education Program (LEP). This applies even if you are or were previously a licensee of a pharmacy (including if you are on maternity leave for the same pharmacy).
• You must demonstrate you have the qualifications, experience, and/or support to fulfill the role as a licensee and are expected to meet at least two of the following attributes:
  • You have been registered on ACP’s clinical pharmacist register or as a pharmacist in another Canadian jurisdiction for the past two consecutive years or more.
  • In the past five years, you have served as a licensee or the equivalent in a Canadian jurisdiction for at least one year, without being subject to discipline proceedings.
  • In the past 10 years, you have served as a proprietor of one or more pharmacies in Alberta for at least two consecutive years, where there have been no discipline proceedings.

The following attributes only apply if the licensee and the proprietor’s representative are different people.

• You will practise in a licensed pharmacy where the proprietor’s representative is a regulated member in good standing with ACP.
• You will practise in a licensed pharmacy where, in the past five years, the proprietor’s representative has served as a licensee in Alberta for at least one year, without being subject to discipline proceedings.
• You will practise in a licensed pharmacy where, in the past 10 years, the proprietor has owned one or more pharmacies in Alberta for at least two consecutive years, where there have been no discipline proceedings.

Pharmacy licensee applicants may provide additional information to ACP to support their application and, upon application, the registrar may approve an applicant upon considering other qualifying attributes.

To fulfil the responsibilities and obligations of a licensee, you must have an active presence at the pharmacy to personally supervise day-to-day operations and ensure that practice proceeds in accordance with the law that governs pharmacy operations, drug distribution, the practice of pharmacists, and the practice of pharmacy technicians. Additional information available in myACP.

1. Prepare the following documentation. All documentation must be in PDF format.
   1. A floor plan depicting the physical facilities, intended use of space, and layout of the entire licensed pharmacy. This plan must comply with the floor plan requirements guide, and any submissions that do not comply with this guide will be rejected.
      1. If the pharmacy shares premises with another business (e.g., medical clinic), you must also provide an additional floor plan depicting the overall facilities, space and layout of the premises.
   2. Letter of Intent Declaration and Acknowledgement form.
   3. If applying for a mail order pharmacy licence, you must also submit a completed Mail order pharmacy services proposal form.
2. Complete and submit letter of intent.
   1. Access the New pharmacy: Letter of Intent (Step 1) in myACP; all applications can be found in the Catalog.
   2. The application will require you to upload the supporting documentation prepared in step 1.
3. Provide payment.
   • Once you submit your application, will be required to provide payment. The college’s fees are outlined in the ACP fee schedule; only the following payment methods will be accepted:
     • Visa
     • Mastercard
   • Your application is not complete until the application, all supporting documentation, and payment have been submitted.
4. Application decision
   • Complete applications are reviewed in the order in which they are submitted and may take up to 15 business days to assess and process. Incomplete applications will result in further delays. 
   • ACP will notify you via email once a decision has been made or if we have any questions regarding your letter of intent or floor plan.
   • If a letter of intent is conditionally accepted, you will receive a Letter of Intent (LOI) number that must be provided when the licensee applicant applies for the pharmacy licence. If conditionally accepted, the letter of intent and submitted floor plan are valid for six months.

Submitting a letter of intent and floor plans is only a preliminary step in the pharmacy licensure process and is not an application for a pharmacy licence. A letter of intent and floor plan are conditionally accepted based on the overall intent and the inclusion of basic foundational requirements in regard to the physical facilities, space, and layout of the proposed pharmacy. However, it is the sole responsibility of the licensee applicant to understand and ensure compliance with the legislation that governs pharmacy practice in Alberta. Additional steps and information are required and will be assessed upon application for a pharmacy licence, including eligibility of the licensee and proprietor. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the proposed pharmacy, licensee, and proprietor meet all requirements. 

Upon receipt of the LOI #, the licensee applicant and the proprietor’s representative can proceed with preparing the pharmacy to meet all the foundational requirements. When the pharmacy is ready for the pre-opening inspection, the licensee applicant may proceed with applying for a new pharmacy licence in myACP. Additional information available in myACP.