Open a New Pharmacy
All pharmacies operating in Newfoundland and Labrador must be licensed by the College of Pharmacy of Newfoundland and Labrador (CPNL). If you are planning to open a pharmacy in the province, please contact our Pharmacy Licensing team at licensing@nlpb.ca for more information at least 90 days before any intended opening.
Before you submit your application
- Designate a Pharmacist-in-Charge
In order to operate a pharmacy in Newfoundland and Labrador, the pharmacy must have a designated pharmacist-in-charge (PIC). The PIC is the license-holder of the pharmacy and is responsible for establishing and implementing policies and procedures for a given pharmacy and for ensuring that the pharmacy provides safe and quality services in accordance with the Pharmacy Act, 2024, Pharmacy Regulations, Standards of Pharmacy Operation, Standards of Practice, other applicable provincial and federal legislation, and any other requirements established by CPNL.
For more information regarding the requirements for being designated as a PIC or to apply for authorization, please review the Authorization to be Designated Pharmacist-in-Charge section of the Authorization for Registrants page of this website.
- Review Legislation, Standards, and Guidelines
Submit your Application
At least 90 days before the date the pharmacy is scheduled to open, the PIC must complete and submit the appropriate application in the Pharmacy Portal along with all relevant fees (see Fees & Timelines for a list of fees) and:
- a detailed diagram of the layout of the new pharmacy as per CPNL’s Floor Plan Requirements; and
- a completed Pharmacy Ownership Certification Form.
Schedule an Assessment
Once the application is approved, CPNL staff will contact the PIC to schedule a pre-opening site visit. The PIC must complete and submit the following self-assessment at least one week prior to the scheduled visit:
Connect to the Pharmacy Network
All pharmacies operating within the province are required to be connected to the provincial electronic health record via the Pharmacy Network. To ensure a connection is established prior to opening, contact the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information as early as possible.
Change the Pharmacy Licence
The pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) is required to notify CPNL of any changes to licensing information that was provided upon opening or renewal. This includes but is not limited to changes to the pharmacy name, location, and staffing.
New Pharmacist-in-Charge
To change the PIC of an existing pharmacy, both the current PIC and the proposed new PIC must apply at least 30 days in advance of the change taking place. The current PIC must complete and submit the appropriate application in the Pharmacy Portal along with all relevant fees (see Fees & Timelines for a list of fees).
The proposed new PIC must be eligible to be designated as PIC in accordance with CPNL’s Requirements for Authorization to be Designated Pharmacist-in-Charge and have submitted an authorization application to be designated a pharmacist-in-charge in the Registrant Portal as indicated in the Authorization to be Designated Pharmacist-in-Charge section of the Authorization for Registrants page of this website.
Once authorized, the pharmacist must then apply to be designated as the new PIC of the pharmacy through the Registrant Portal under Requests in the main menu.
Name Change
Existing pharmacies that plan to change the name of the pharmacy with no change in ownership must complete and submit the appropriate application in the Pharmacy Portal along with all relevant fees (see Fees & Timelines for a list of fees).
Relocation
PICs of existing pharmacies that plan to move from one location to another with no change in ownership, whether that location is at a new address or within the existing premises with no address change, must complete and submit the appropriate application in the Pharmacy Portal along with all relevant fees (see Fees & Timelines for a list of fees) and a detailed diagram of the layout of the new pharmacy location as per CPNL’s Floor Plan Requirements at least 90 days prior to relocating the pharmacy.
Schedule an Assessment
Once the application is approved, CPNL staff will contact the PIC to schedule an assessment of the new pharmacy location. The PIC must complete and submit the following self-assessment prior to the scheduled visit:
Connect to the Pharmacy Network
Pharmacists-in-charge are also reminded to contact the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information as soon as possible to arrange for relocation of the Pharmacy Network connection, which must be in place prior to the change in location.
Notify the Public
The public must be effectively notified, by way of advertising and/or signage, of the location of the new premises and the date of the location change. In addition, all signs must be removed from the previous location upon relocation of the pharmacy.
For more information regarding the requirements for relocating a pharmacy, please review CPNL’s Requirements When Relocating a Pharmacy.
Renovation
PICs of existing pharmacies that plan to make a change to the pharmacy’s floor plan, including the dispensary, compounding area(s), private consultation area(s), and/or professional products area(s), must complete and submit the appropriate application in the Pharmacy Portal along with all relevant fees (see Fees & Timelines for a list of fees) and a detailed diagram of the layout of the renovated pharmacy/dispensary, as per CPNL’s Floor Plan Requirements at least 30 days prior to initiating any renovations to the pharmacy/dispensary.
Schedule an Assessment
Once the application is approved, CPNL staff will contact the PIC to schedule an assessment of the renovated pharmacy. The PIC must complete and submit the following self-assessment prior to the scheduled visit:
For more information regarding the requirements for renovating a pharmacy/dispensary, please review CPNL’sRequirements When Renovating a Pharmacy/Dispensary.
Change Pharmacy Ownership
In accordance with provincial legislation, for pharmacy ownership changes, the existing pharmacy licence must be terminated and a new pharmacy licence issued. The pharmacist-in-charge and owners acquiring the pharmacy must jointly complete and submit the appropriate application in the Pharmacy Portal along with all relevant fees (see Fees & Timelines for a list of fees) at least 30 days prior to the expected ownership change. A completed Pharmacy Ownership Certification Form must be submitted with the Change in Pharmacy Ownership Application.
Applicants will be notified by email once a decision has been made. If approved, the applicant must pay the annual licensing fee by logging into the Pharmacy Portal, clicking the “Invoice & Receipts” link on the side menu, and then clicking the “Review & Pay” button next to the appropriate invoice.
On the scheduled date of change, the current pharmacy licence will become inactive and a new pharmacy licence will be issued. The pharmacy licence will be updated on CPNL’s Public Register on the approved scheduled date of change and the updated pharmacy licence certificate can be downloaded from the Pharmacy Portal.
For more information regarding the requirements for changing pharmacy ownership, including the responsibilities of the pharmacists-in-charge of the selling pharmacy and the new pharmacy, please review CPNL’s Change in Pharmacy Ownership Policy.
Close a Pharmacy
Temporary Closure
Temporary closure of community pharmacies has the potential to have a significant adverse patient impact. In accordance with the Code of Ethics, pharmacy professionals have an obligation to provide patients under their care with access to medications, pharmacy services, and medication records, when needed and/or requested. Before opting to temporarily close, pharmacists-in-charge are expected to explore all possible options for the pharmacy to remain open and continue to provide safe, quality care to patients. However, there may be certain situations where a temporary closure is required.
Planned Temporary Closure
A temporary closure is permissible without surrendering the pharmacy licence where a pharmacist staff member requires a leave of absence and the pharmacy owner or pharmacist-in-charge is unable to find sufficient relief staff to support continued operations. The pharmacist-in-charge must complete and submit the following application at least 30 days prior to the start date of the temporary closure:
Unplanned Temporary Closure
In emergency situations, a temporary closure is permissible for up to 90 days without surrendering the pharmacist licence. These situations may include but are not limited to the sudden illness of a pharmacist, severe weather conditions, physical damage to the pharmacy, or public health emergencies. NLPB must be notified of the closure as soon as possible, including the circumstances surrounding the closure, plans to maintain the security of the premises, plans to make pharmacy records accessible if needed, and the anticipated reopening date. The pharmacist-in-charge must notify NLPB prior to re-opening the pharmacy.
If the closure exceeds 90 days, the pharmacist-in-charge must contact NLPB to discuss the next steps, as the pharmacy will have to be permanently closed and the licence must be terminated. The pharmacy may be able to re-open in the future under a new pharmacy licence.
In the case of temporary closure:
- Alternate arrangements must be made for specific services such as the provisions of services to personal care homes, specialized compounding services, opioid agonist maintenance treatment services, and in circumstances where the pharmacy is the only one in the community. This may include consultations with prescribers and other members of the healthcare team, pharmacies in nearby communities, and the regional health authority to determine alternative options to medication access and delivery of health services.
- If possible, patients who have prescriptions ready for pick-up must be notified prior to the closure. Prescriptions not picked up before the closure must be canceled in the pharmacy’s practice management system and the electronic health record to allow the patient to access the medication at another pharmacy.
- Once the application is approved or the emergency closure commences, signage indicating the scheduled or anticipated start and end dates of the closure must be posted in a prominent location at the front entrance of the pharmacy and at the dispensary (if the pharmacy is still open) at the earliest possible opportunity. The signage at the front entrance must remain in place for the duration of the closure. Additional information necessary to promote access to pharmacy services during the closure should also be included on the signage, such as an emergency phone number or the location of the nearest pharmacy.
Permanent Closure
If you intend on permanently closing your pharmacy, please contact CPNL at least 30 days prior to the intended date of closure.
For more information, contact the CPNL Pharmacy Licensing team at licensing@nlpb.ca.
