Licensee criteria

The licensee is the pharmacist who applies for and holds the pharmacy licence under the Pharmacy and Drug Act to operate a pharmacy. Only a pharmacist may apply for a licence. The licensee personally manages, controls, and supervises the practice of pharmacy in the pharmacy in accordance with the Pharmacy and Drug Act and any order made under the Act, the Code of Ethics, and the Standards for the Operation of Licensed Pharmacies.

All pharmacists applying for a pharmacy licence must meet certain criteria to provide assurance to ACP that the prospective licensee is qualified and capable of fulfilling their legislative responsibilities and the proposed pharmacy will be operated in compliance with the legislation that governs the practice of pharmacy in Alberta.

The following criteria apply to prospective licensees who wish to open a new pharmacy and apply for a new pharmacy licence. The criteria also apply to pharmacists applying to be the licensee of an existing pharmacy.

• 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; and
  • 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; and
    • 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. If the licensee is temporarily away for vacation or a short-term leave that is less than 90 days, the licensee must assign a temporary pharmacist in charge (TPIC) to oversee the pharmacy in their absence. If the licensee is temporarily away for more than 90 days or if the licensee resigns or ceases to be responsible for the pharmacy, the licence terminates and the pharmacy must close unless a new licensee is approved or the pharmacy is immediately put under the personal management, control, and supervision of an approved TPIC.