Guelph may go from 0 to 9 cannabis dispensaries by the end of summer
Residents from the Guelph area may have a much easier time getting their cannabis soon. There are nine applications currently before the alcohol and gaming commission from individuals and companies who are looking to open legal cannabis dispensaries.
The nine shops looking to open
- Cannabis Supply Co,206 Speedvale Ave. W
- Fire & Flower Cannabis Co,314 Stone RD. W
- Meta Cannabis Co,3 Woodlawn RD. W
- The Cannabist Shop,739Woolwich St
- The Cannabist Shop,166 Wyndham St N
- Friendly stranger South Guelph,5 Clair Rd W
- Q Bud,128 Wyndham St. N
- Spiritleaf Guelph,492Edinburgh Rd S unit B2B
- Buds Cannabis store,370 Stone Rd.W
Cannabis is legal in Canada now, and since its inception, each application to do with the industry has been put through rigorous testing and approval processes to ensure that the area the most acceptable one. For example, is there a school nearby? If so, they may not be approved. There are many different obstacles to go through, and they need to follow the rules to a tee.
When will these shops open?
The Cannabist shop is going to have two locations soon, but the Woolwich location has had the most difficult transition out of the two. The last business in their storefront was a flower shop and a greenhouse. The issue is that it is situated next to a youth hub for mental health and addictions, so there are some concerns as youth is considered 12 to 26 years of age. However, it is also important to note that there is a beer store nearby. ID does need to be displayed each time you purchase from a dispensary, and they are extremely strict about it. So, anyone underage would not be able to buy cannabis from a dispensary.
- The Cannabist will appear before the committee on June 11, 2020.
- Public comment for Buds cannabis store is open until Saturday, June 6, 2020. Comments may be made on the alcohol and gaming commission of Ontario AGCO website.
- The other six dispensaries are still in the process of having all the kinks ironed out.
Guelph really does need a dispensary, as many people do use cannabis as their medicine for issues like addiction, and the journey to another city can be a huge barrier if you do not drive or have a vehicle. So, a local dispensary would be of great benefit for both recreational and medicinal consumers. With any new development, there is always public input, and there will always be those that oppose it, but a lot of times, they do it because they do not need the services, and that should be taken into consideration.
There is a lot of preparation to be done to open a dispensary, and that requires planning and time. Understandably, those with addictions do need their services as well, although they also need to live in a world that is full of triggers no matter where they go. We need to allow the dispensaries to open and function as the business they are. Cannabis is legal, and dispensaries are legal as well, which is why so many Ontarians are happy to see dispensary license lottery’s go out the window.
It is going to be very exciting for the Guelph area to finally have access to their legal cannabis stores. You can go down any part of any city and have full access to liquor and beer stores, and no one seems to have a problem with it, so cannabis should be treated in the same manner. Good luck to all that are applying, and a big thank you to all that give support.
