Ontario Delays Private Cannabis Stores as Legalization Looms
- Province will allow online-only sales beginning Oct. 17
- Private retail model is a departure from Liberals’ public plan
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Canada’s largest province is delaying the launch of private marijuana sales in bricks-and-mortar stores until April 2019, nearly six months after the drug is legalized for recreational use.
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government said Monday it will start cannabis sales with an online-only retail model when cannabis is legalized on Oct. 17, to be followed by private retail sales on April 1. This is an abrupt policy change from the former Liberal government, which planned to sell cannabis in government-run pot shops, starting with 40 in 2018.