Even though recreational cannabis has become legal, small business owners in Manitoba are still grabbling with the new law and the impacts it may have on their operations, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

A new survey conducted by the CFIB reveals that 61 per cent of Manitoba small business owners are concerned the legalization of recreational cannabis will impact safety in their workplace.

"They don't know what rights they have as an employer if someone they suspect is under the influence of cannabis verses alcohol," said Jonathan Alward, CFIB Director of Provincial Affairs for Manitoba. "They don't know what tools are available to them to check that. A lot of their concerns are for their other employees and in any liability that would be associated with that."

The survey also found that 86% of Manitoba small business owners agree that regulations should be changed to include a worker's obligation to disclose impairment or the ingestion of impairing substances to their employer.

Alward said the process of legalization has created more questions than answers for small business owners. He says CFIB has received hundreds of questions from business owners on how to address cannabis-related workplace issues.

"Business owners want to know what responsibility to they bear as an employer if an impaired employee or customer has an accident on site, can they ask employees to submit to a drug test if they have safety concerns. Those are really important questions I think have been left unanswered by government."

CFIB has created a suite of tools, including a free webinar, a workplace drug and alcohol policy template and an online course for employers and employees on workplace impairment.