New Details on Cannabis Retail Regulations



November 14, 2018

The Province passed new regulations governing private cannabis retail in Ontario, revealing more details on how storefront cannabis retail will be managed and how this will impact communities and municipal governments. 

The regulations will govern the private recreational cannabis store system that will begin April 1, 2019 under the oversight of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), and include:
 
  • setting out a process for municipalities to inform the AGCO of a decision to opt out of hosting retail cannabis stores within the municipality by January 22, 2019
  • store requirements and hours, with standalone stores able to operate between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m
  • product restrictions, with the ability to sell only cannabis products, accessories and shopping bags
  • establishing a minimum distance of 150 metres between cannabis retail stores and schools, including private and federally-funded First Nation schools off-reserve​
  • licensing eligibility and education requirements for operators, managers, and staff

More details:

 


September 26, 2018

The Province introduced legislation today to regulate the private cannabis retail store model in Ontario. 

The proposed legislation would establish the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) as the provincial regulator authorized to grant store licences. The AGCO would have the authority to enforce compliance, including, if necessary, revoking licences from stores that fail to comply with the conditions set by the province.

Under the proposed legislation, municipalities would have the ability to opt-out of having cannabis retail stores in their communities, before January 22, 2019.

More details:

 

August 13, 2018

The Province has shared details about how cannabis retail will be managed. Effective October 17, 2018, consumers 19 and older will be able to purchase cannabis via an online retail platform provided by the Ontario Cannabis Store, followed by the introduction of regulated private retail by April 1, 2019.

The Province indicated that they will be consulting ahead of the launch of the private retail model, and will be giving municipalities with a one-time window to opt-out of permitting physical cannabis retail stores within their boundaries. They have also indicated that they will be providing $40 million in funding to municipalities over two years to support efforts in community safety related to cannabis legalization.

More details: