The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, May 9, edition that Health Canada says it is changing its process for issuing cannabis licences in a bid to reduce wait times and better use the agency's resources. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that the Ottawa-based agency says new applicants for licences to cultivate, process or sell cannabis must now have a fully built site that meets regulations when they submit their application. Prior to this, cannabis licence applicants could submit an application with their plans and get approval before building. The agency says a "significant" amount of resources has been used to review applications from entities that are not ready to begin operations, contributing to wait times for "more mature applications" and "an inefficient allocation of resources." Health Canada says that over the past three years, more than 70 per cent of licensing applicants that passed its initial paper-based review have yet to submit the required evidence to demonstrate they have built a facility that meets the regulatory requirements. The change comes as cannabis retailers across the country continue to face supply challenges.