City asked for input on where the cannabis retail outlets should be located - is inside city hall an option?

By Staff

October 27, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

Burlington’s city manager got a letter from the province today – they want to talk to him about just where those cannabis stores the federal government is going to make legal should be located.

The province is preparing for the federal government’s plan to legalize cannabis by July 2018 and is now working with municipalities to identify possible store locations.

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In September, the province announced a safe and sensible framework to govern the lawful use and retail distribution of cannabis as a carefully controlled substance. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) will be doing the actual retail sales through new stand-alone stores and online ordering.

In accordance with the province’s safe and sensible approach, two primary considerations will be used to guide the identification of municipalities where stores will be located:

• To achieve geographic distribution of stores across the province

• To reduce the number of illegal stores, including dispensaries, currently in operation

The LCBO will utilize guidelines to identify specific store locations with the objective of ensuring that youth are protected and the illegal market is addressed. This includes ensuring stores are not located in close proximity to schools.

Once a prospective store site has been identified by the LCBO, a notice will be posted online and at the location to let the public know that a space has been selected for a proposed storefront. Before any decisions are made, there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed location.

Under the proposed approach, approximately 150 standalone stores will be opened by 2020, including 40 stores by July 2018 and rising to 80 by July 2019. Online distribution will also be available to service all regions of the province.

The government will evaluate how this approach is working throughout the rollout to ensure that the goals of safe, responsible sales of cannabis and elimination of the illegal market are achieved.