Once again Mississauga denies cannabis stores from operating

Steve PEcar
June 10, 2021
Insauga.com

Mississauga cannabis users will have to continue to do their shopping in Brampton, Toronto, Milton and Burlington.

For the second time, Mississauga councillors have rejected a plan that would have allowed the legal set-up of stores across the city. Councillors voted 8 to 4 against allowing the stores to open.

After a lengthy debate, and despite several delegations that support the stores, councillors ultimately decided that they could not live with fact they would not be able to control how many shops would be allowed to open and where they would be located.

Under the Provincial government rules that allow the pot shops to open, zoning rules that historically fall under the jurisdiction of municipalities are not in effect. Only the provincial agency that governs the stores will have the ability to prevent them from opening. So far, no stores in Ontario that have applied to open have been denied.

Technically, the issue is not entirely dead as it will go before City council next week, but the same decision makers will be at that meeting and are not likely to change their minds.

Mississauga, Oakville, Vaughan and Markham are the only areas in the GTA that will not allow cannabis stores to operate.

Mississauga also voted down the ability of stores to open within its borders in 2018.