New application made for retail pot shop in east Hamilton

A new application has been made for a cannabis retail store in an east Hamilton shopping centre, according to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

Canna Cabana Hamiltonis aiming to open in the Centre on Barton and has entered the 15-day public comment period ahead of the province's April 1 deadline.

Coun. Sam Merulla, whose ward the government-approved outlet would open in,said the location is one that was scouted by the previous provincial government.

He saidit's his belief the storemeets zoning requirements and the government guideline which states no cannabis store can stand within 150 metres ofany schools.

"[The location] has significant amenities, and a lot of vehicular as well as pedestrian traffic," the councillorsaid."I look forward to them prospering and, by extension, the city as well."

Merullaalso commendedSteven Fry, the person AGCO listed as the potential pot shop's operator, for emailing him to talk about the location.

But the councillor said that discussion won't be necessary.

"I basically told him, no need to ... because I support the location based on the fact I've already worked through all of these aspects with the previous government."

Merulla added he doesn't anticipate muchnegative feedback from his constituentseither.

"Our concern from a neighbourhood perspective is getting rid of the illegal dispensaries and the fact that this is going to be opening up in the area, I think will be a huge help," the councillorsaid. "I think it'll be welcomed."

1 of 7 locations

The AGCO says that if this store gets approved, it would be the sixth of seven locations allowed in the province's "west region."

That region includes: Dufferin, Wellington, Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk; Brant, Waterloo, Perth, Oxford, Elgin, Chatham-Kent, Essex, Lambton, Middlesex, Huron, Bruce, Grey, and Manitoulin.

Last week, a store in St. Catharinessnagged one of the province's first three cannabis retail operator licenses.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario said last Thursday it approved and issued a license for The Niagara Herbalist, which would be at 33 Lakeshore Road, Unit 15 in St. Catharines.

The commission also approved licenses forThe Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. on Queen Street West in Toronto, as well as Central Cannabis in London, Ont.

The commission said it has not yet issued authorizations for the stores. That process, which includes inspections by AGCO compliance officials, is still in progress for all three stores.