Chatham-Kent will be home to at least one provincially-operated cannabis retail store by July.
The municipality recently received the news from the provincial finance ministry, which is seeking a partnership between the newly formed Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation and hosting communities.
Mayor Randy Hope says he looks forward to meeting with provincial officials to ensure that any mandated or mandatory store located in Chatham-Kent comes only after the municipality has had direct input on its location.
"We're in discussion with our police services to find out what areas are best and what is the best thing. Community safety is always going to be top priority of whatever we do," says Hope.
Cannabis is expected to be legal in July, with province-wide online sales available and up to 150 stand-alone stores by 2020, starting with 40 by July and rising to 80 within the first year.
Hope still believes that the municipality deserves some compensation through a percentage of sales or some other method to ensure that it can meet any issues that arise.
"I believe that municipalities that are hosting these need to host these similar to what we have with casinos and there has to be a revenue base that comes in for municipalities. They also need to be responsible for social issues that may be caused," Hope says.
He says compensation can be negotiated with the province and thinks the formula can be revisited after the first three years.
"Host communities should receive at least up to 25% or 30% and we're saying it's about time they sit down with the municipalities and say OK what is the best formula that we can come up with that will work, similar to what we did with the OLG," says Hope.