Barrie has been selected as one of the first cities in Ontario that will have a stand-alone store to sell marijuana once it’s legalized next year.
The Ministry of Finance and the LCBO made the announcement on Friday, saying that they plan to meet with 14 municipalities, including Barrie, in the coming weeks.
Municipal and provincial officials will then work together to figure out the guidelines and site location.
“The guidelines will achieve our objectives of protecting youth by ensuring stores are not in close proximity to schools, while providing access within communities and addressing the illegal market,” the announcement states.
Once a site is identified, a public notification will be posted online and at the store itself. The public will also have the opportunity to ask questions and voice concerns.
The province said earlier this year that these stores will only sell marijuana and not alcohol. Ontarians will also be able to purchase marijuana online.
Officials have also said people 19 or older will be able to purchase marijuana.
The federal government plans to have pot legalized across the country by July 1.
These are the first 14 cities identified by the province:
- Barrie
- Brampton
- Hamilton
- Kingston
- Kitchener
- London
- Mississauga
- Ottawa
- Sault Ste. Marie
- Sudbury
- Thunder Bay
- Toronto
- Vaughan
- Windsor
