Consultations on private retail model for recreational marijuana

Consultations guided by the need to protect children and keep roads and communities safe

Barrietoday.com
August 28, 2018

As part of Ontario’s commitment to consult with municipalities, law enforcement, businesses, Indigenous communities, educators, public health officials and other stakeholders on a private retail model for recreational cannabis, York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney held a roundtable today to gather feedback from community members on what a potential private retail framework might look like.

Discussions on the matter focused on:

• How to protect youth and children in our communities;
• How to protect against intervention by organized crime and the diversion of product;
• Gathering input on the $40 million in funding the province is providing to help municipalities handle the impacts of legalization;
• The role of municipalities and First Nations communities; and
• The types of eligible businesses and the rules by which they would operate.

“Our government’s top priority when it comes to developing a private retail model for recreational cannabis is ensuring that our children are protected and our roads and communities are kept safe,” said Mulroney. “It’s why we’re taking our time to get this right, and engaging in widespread consultations across the province.”

On Oct. 17, anyone 19 or older in Ontario will be able to purchase recreational cannabis legally through the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) website, with a private retail model to be launched by April 1, 2019.

As part of the rules protecting kids, products cannot be visible or sold to youth, and must be sold from behind the counter. Promotions must be limited to factual information and cannot be appealing to youth. Sponsorships and endorsements are not allowed.

Further rules establish financial penalties for individuals or businesses that allow their premises to be used for the sale or distribution of illegal cannabis, increased penalties for anyone caught driving impaired, and a prohibition on using recreational cannabis outside of private residences.

“Our government wants to work with our partners to build a safe, reliable private retail system that puts the safety of our kids and roads first. Today’s conversation is an important part of that work, and I look forward to bringing the participants' thoughts to the attention of the Attorney General and the Minister of Finance,” concluded Mulroney.

For further details, please visit the website.