Cannabis ‘Gold Rush’ Will Boost Retail in Canada, RioCan Says

RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust said it’s anticipating a “gold rush” from Canada’s legalization of recreational marijuana in October, bringing premium rents and boosting demand for retail real estate across the country’s biggest markets.

Canadian pot companies say they’re ready to start building in Ontario if its government allows private stores to sell marijuana, a prospect being considered by the conservative premier, Doug Ford. That system would mark a shift from the previous, liberal government’s decision to leave sales to government entities like the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.