As we get closer to the day when marijuana becomes legal in Canada, the city of London is looking closer at where provincially-run pot shops will be located.
A staff report going to the planning and environment committee on Monday recommends council create a list of rules and preferred locations for London's first legal pot shop and send it on to the Ontario government for consideration.
The report calls for the stores to be located 500 metres away from schools, libraries, pools, community centres, arenas, and the Western Fair District.
"Cannabis retail stores in locations close to vulnerable populations may facilitate the illegal re-distribution of cannabis from adults who purchase the product to minors in nearby facilities. Furthermore, locating stores near these facilities may make the product more attractive and accessible to a large population of minors," the report states.
Parking and security are also a priority according to the report. Staff propose at least one space for every 15 square metres of space, to allow adequate parking for the anticipated high volume of customers. The chosen site should also allow for "easy surveillance and enforcement."
In an effort to avoid high traffic pedestrian areas that are susceptible to drug trafficking, staff recommend the new retail space be placed near shopping centres, rapid transit lines, and urban corridors.
The provincial government announced at the end of October that London would be among the first cities in Ontario to have a cannabis store, operated in an LCBO manner by the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation.
The city's first legal pot shop is expected to open its doors by July 1.
Windsor and Kitchener were the only other cities in southwestern Ontario selected in the first round of 14 locations to open cannabis stores, once the federal government legalizes pot. In total, 40 stores are to open by Canada Day. Another 40 will open by 2019, with the remaining 70 to open by 2020.
While the province is not legally bound to any rules or restrictions put in place by the city, provincial officials have indicated they will respect local zoning by-laws and regulations when selecting sites for cannabis retail stores, regardless of the province’s right to ignore them.