Provincial government penalizes licensed stores for not opening, raids unlicensed stores for opening.
Pot stores are now legal in Ontario — get ready for lineups, shortages and delayed openings | CBC News - Nick Boisvert:
April 1, 2019 - "The first nine licensed cannabis stores in Ontario — the government had hoped to have 25 selling by this date — opened for business on Monday.... It was only a few months ago, on Jan. 11, that a lottery system determined which retailers would be eligible to apply for a licence to sell cannabis in Ontario. And the application process is time-consuming. It includes, for example, finding a location that meets certain regulatory requirements, and informing the neighbourhood that you intend to set up shop. And of course, you can't order any stock until the licence is approved."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-cannabis-opening-day-1.5076935
A dozen of Ontario’s cannabis stores penalized for not opening on time | Globalnews.ca - Michell McQuigge, Canadian Press:
April 10, 2019 - "The Alcohol and Gaming Commission ... says it’s drawing down credit from 12 retailers that aren’t open yet, while ruling two others had their openings delayed for reasons beyond their control. The province’s 25th retail store, chosen from a wait list after an initial lottery winner was disqualified, isn’t expected to start operations until April 28."
Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/5153125/dozen-cannabis-stores-penalized/
City pushing for closure of 21 illegal cannabis shops but still faces uphill battle | CBC News Toronto:
April 17, 2019 - "When cannabis became legal in October of last year, Toronto police had closed all but about 12 illicit retail locations in the city. After the provincial government announced that only 25 licensed brick-and-mortar stores would open province-wide come April 1, however, the number of illegal shops ballooned to 32....
"Data prepared by Statistics Canada indicates consumers spent $1.48 billion on cannabis products during the last three months of 2018. The agency reports, however, that 79 per cent of that money was spent on the illegal market....
"Michael Armstrong, a Brock University associate professor who has been studying the business side of legalization, ... observed that legal market share is highest in provinces that have opened more physical storefronts per capita.... But in Ontario, where pot could only be purchased legally online until April 1, legal market share was just 13 per cent during the quarter....
"Police in Ontario have taken a more aggressive approach, with 10 forces across the province banding together to shutter dispensaries. Ontario Provincial Police Det. Insp. Jim Walker said the various police services have formed a joint task force that's made at least 44 arrests since its activities kicked into high gear in January....
"Armstrong, however, questioned the effectiveness of the police strategy.... 'Until there's a legal alternative, I see it as largely a waste of police resources.'"
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/illegal-cannabis-stores-toronto-mark-sraga-1.5101325
Pot stores are now legal in Ontario — get ready for lineups, shortages and delayed openings | CBC News - Nick Boisvert:
April 1, 2019 - "The first nine licensed cannabis stores in Ontario — the government had hoped to have 25 selling by this date — opened for business on Monday.... It was only a few months ago, on Jan. 11, that a lottery system determined which retailers would be eligible to apply for a licence to sell cannabis in Ontario. And the application process is time-consuming. It includes, for example, finding a location that meets certain regulatory requirements, and informing the neighbourhood that you intend to set up shop. And of course, you can't order any stock until the licence is approved."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-cannabis-opening-day-1.5076935
A dozen of Ontario’s cannabis stores penalized for not opening on time | Globalnews.ca - Michell McQuigge, Canadian Press:
April 10, 2019 - "The Alcohol and Gaming Commission ... says it’s drawing down credit from 12 retailers that aren’t open yet, while ruling two others had their openings delayed for reasons beyond their control. The province’s 25th retail store, chosen from a wait list after an initial lottery winner was disqualified, isn’t expected to start operations until April 28."
Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/5153125/dozen-cannabis-stores-penalized/
City pushing for closure of 21 illegal cannabis shops but still faces uphill battle | CBC News Toronto:
April 17, 2019 - "When cannabis became legal in October of last year, Toronto police had closed all but about 12 illicit retail locations in the city. After the provincial government announced that only 25 licensed brick-and-mortar stores would open province-wide come April 1, however, the number of illegal shops ballooned to 32....
"Data prepared by Statistics Canada indicates consumers spent $1.48 billion on cannabis products during the last three months of 2018. The agency reports, however, that 79 per cent of that money was spent on the illegal market....
"Michael Armstrong, a Brock University associate professor who has been studying the business side of legalization, ... observed that legal market share is highest in provinces that have opened more physical storefronts per capita.... But in Ontario, where pot could only be purchased legally online until April 1, legal market share was just 13 per cent during the quarter....
"Police in Ontario have taken a more aggressive approach, with 10 forces across the province banding together to shutter dispensaries. Ontario Provincial Police Det. Insp. Jim Walker said the various police services have formed a joint task force that's made at least 44 arrests since its activities kicked into high gear in January....
"Armstrong, however, questioned the effectiveness of the police strategy.... 'Until there's a legal alternative, I see it as largely a waste of police resources.'"
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/illegal-cannabis-stores-toronto-mark-sraga-1.5101325
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