Narcotic counts for Alberta pharmacies: every 3 months

Alberta’s standard asks every licensee to have procedures in place that identify theft, loss or diversion of controlled substances. In plain words:

• Keep a perpetual inventory of each controlled substance in stock.
• Audit that inventory at least every three months, and document the audit.
• Audit it again each time the proprietor or licensee changes.
• Investigate, resolve and document every discrepancy.
• Decide whether your procedures need to change to prevent the next one.
• Report any loss or theft to Health Canada within 10 days of discovering it.

Alberta College of Pharmacy, Standards for the Operation of Licensed Pharmacies, s. 4.4.1(b), in force since February 1, 2025.

In Alberta, “at least every three months” means the gap between two audits is never more than three months. An audit on January 15 makes the next one due by April 15. A fixed rhythm, such as the 15th of January, April, July and October, keeps every gap inside the limit.

Our suggestion, not a rule: count your fastest-moving narcotics more often than that, so a variance turns up while there are fewer transactions behind it.

For how often other provinces ask for a count, see inventory frequency in Canada.

The standard also asks for an audit each time the proprietor or licensee changes.

Our suggestion: count on the handover day, so the incoming licensee starts from a number they have checked.

Schedule 1 narcotics, the drugs Tracked Prescription Program Alberta designates as Type 1 medications, and any other drugs Council requires go in a metal safe that is secured in place and has a time-delay lock, with narrow exceptions set by the registrar. Which drugs are Type 1 is on TPP Alberta’s medication lists.

The delay must be at least five minutes, set with factors such as the pharmacy’s location and police response times in mind, and the lock cannot be opened or overridden by any means before it runs out.

Standards for the Operation of Licensed Pharmacies, s. 4.4.1(a), s. 3.3.2(d) and s. 3.3.3.

Report any loss or theft of a controlled substance to Health Canada within 10 days of discovering it. Alberta’s standard says so, and so does the federal rule that applies in every province: the Controlled Substances Regulations s. 109(2), in force since October 1, 2026. Investigating does not pause the clock.

To trace a count that does not match, see what to do after a narcotic discrepancy. The report itself, step by step, is on reporting a loss or theft.

Set your pharmacy’s province to Alberta in Settings and NarcCount schedules a full count every 3 months by default; you can choose to count more often. It also:

• Emails a reminder before each count is due.
• Flags a count as late against ACP’s limit.
• Asks for the change-of-licensee count when the licensee changes in Settings.
• Keeps the perpetual inventory from your purchase and dispensing records.
• Keeps an investigation note on every discrepancy line.
• Fills in the Health Canada loss or theft report.

NarcCount assists your reconciliation; it does not replace your professional obligations.