Ontario announced its plans for legal cannabis today in a press conference withFinance Minister Charles Sousa, Health Minister Eric Hoskins, and Attorney General Yasir Naqvi. The province intends to open numerous retail locations as well as an e-commerce platform for provincial sales, and implement an age limit of 19.
They plan to be ready with their retail distribution next summer to meet the federal government's deadline.
The province says they intend to open 40 "separate and dedicated cannabis retail stores from the outset," about 80 retail cannabis stores run by the province in the first year, and another 70 by 2020, while utilizing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) model, as well as an LCBO-run online system that will be ready by July 1, 2018.
The dedicated stores will sell only cannabis, and product will not be visible. Public consumption of cannabis will not be allowed, although the province is open to this as a future option.
In regard to currently-operating dispensaries, Sousa and Naqvisaid the province intends to shut them all down.
"Let me be clear," said Naqvi. "These pot dispensaries are illegal and will be shut down. Consider yourself on notice."
"We do want to combat illicit activity and we want to send a signal to the marketplace that distribution and retail is going to be a controlled model," added Sousa. "It's going to be controlled by the government," he continued.
The government says they have consulted with the federal and other provincial governments, as well as municipalities, health groups, and eight US states that have legalized and have beenworking on the retail model 'for some time.'
Sousa says some new locations will seek to set up shop in the same areas as illegal dispensaries in order to displace them, and will be working with communities to decide appropriate locations. He also noted that this fall the federal and provincial governments will be discussing taxation levels ...
