The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
.png "In the thick of things: October 17, 2018")
5 years ago, the SQDC came to life. And we've built our success together from the ground up.
As we mark our 5th anniversary, we're shining a spotlight on our pioneers, who have been with us since the very beginning, as well as on those who make the difference every day to better accomplish our mission.
Today, we’re taking you right to the heart of the action on October 17, 2018. Feel the excitement of our team members as they lived through the grand opening of our first stores.
Five years ago, our people sprouted. Today we’re taking you right to the heart of the action on October 17, 2018. Feel the excitement of our team members as they lived through the grand opening of our first stores.
October 17, 2018, will be forever etched in the memories of everyone involved, and for good reason: it isn’t every day that you make history by opening an all-new government corporation to the public, with the mission of selling the province’s first legal recreational cannabis.
“I was very excited as I made my way to the store. I was eager to spend my first day as an advisor at the SQDC. But I must confess that when I arrived in the parking lot and saw the line filling the entire waiting area and stretching all the way to the Plaza Laval shopping centre, I couldn’t help but wonder: ‘what am I getting into?’”
- Philip Gravel, team leader and then-advisor at the Québec – Sainte-Foy store
“At 6:18 a.m., I processed the first test order, followed by another at 6:37. In just a few minutes, we’d open the website to the public. It was finally time for the ultimate test of our nine months of intensive preparation for the coming tsunami. You could say it was make-or-break time.
At 6:48 a.m., we made the first legal sale of cannabis in Québec. In the next 15 hours, we’d complete another 30,000 transactions.”
- Eve Larrivée, Vice-President, eCommerce
“Very early on the morning of October 17, 2018, I was downtown having a coffee and mentally preparing myself to meet the team at the Rue Peel store. When I got closer to the store I saw the crowd – a sea of people and plenty of media. It was so big, so strange. Cannabis wasn’t new, but the industrialization of it certainly was!”
- Stéphanie Gagné, one of the initial 13 store managers, now a product manager at head office.
“There were three dominant feelings in the Mascouche store: excitement as we looked at the long line of people waiting for us to open; nervousness because there were so many new things to learn; and pride because the teams were happy to be part of this historic moment.”
- Roberto Corbin, Mascouche store manager and current regional director
“My clearest memory of that day is the noisy crowd. It was like being in a scene from a movie about Wall Street!”
- Karl Turgeon, current manager and then-assistant manager of the Saint-Nicolas store
When the clock struck 10 a.m., the doors were officially unlocked, and the teams welcomed the SQDC’s very first in-person customers.
“About 50 people came in, shouting and waving their hands in the air. It was like the Stanley Cup final! Let’s just say it was pretty surprising to see in a retail setting. We had to limit the number of customers in the store so we could stay organized, but every time a new customer walked in you’d hear joyful shouting. As the day went on, the line outside got longer. It stretched for literally two blocks.”
- Julie Richard, manager of the Mirabel store and current regional director
🌱 Five years ago, our people sprouted.
🍃 Over five years, our people grew.
🌲 After five years, our people are flourishing.
.png "A budding industry pioneered by our producers")
New industry, new challenges taken up by our grower-builders. Discover their enthusiasm for legalization and the trusting relationships they've built together.
.png?mw=380&mh=254&sh=6758a "Three Flourishing Portraits at the SQDC")
Over the last five years, our people have grown. Learn how three members of our big family have flourished and excelled and are working every day to achieve their full potential.
.png?mw=380&mh=254&sh=df620 "SQDC.ca celebrates its fifth anniversary")
Five years ago, our people sprouted. Today, you can see how they’re flourishing. Yannick Poulin, our Digital Strategy Specialist, dives back into SQDC’s evolving ambitions for its web platform!