Where the pot shops will go across New Brunswick

The province has released its list of 15 communities that will get stand-alone retail stores for cannabis before the drug becomes legal next July.

The locations were chosen because of their demographics, income data from 2016 census, liquor sales transactions and traffic patterns, according to Sarah Bustard, a spokesperson for the Department of Finance.

Larger communities will have more than one store, for a total of 20 in the province.

• NB Liquor to sell recreational cannabis in stand-alone pot stores
• NB Liquor issues call for marijuana retail spaces

The final locations are contingent on the response NB Liquor gets to the tender call it put out last week, Bustard said.

The expected locations are:

• Greater Moncton.
• Fredericton.
• Oromocto.
• Greater Saint John.
• Bathurst.
• Edmundston.
• Sackville.
• Shediac.
• Miramichi.
• Sussex.
• St. Stephen.
• Richibucto.
• Tracadie.
• Perth Andover.
• Campbellton area.

The New Brunswick government said it will have NB Liquor set up the network of cannabis stores will betightly controlled, in stand-alone buildings and not near schools.