An application has been made to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to open a legal retail cannabis store at 186 Main Street South in a retail plaza just south of Nanwood Dr. The location was most recently a medical clinic and previously a drive-thru Burger King restaurant (see photos below).
In January, city council voted 8 to 3 in favour of opting in to the provincial process that allows retail stores to legally sell recreational cannabis. Cannabis was legalized in Canada on October 17, 2018 by the federal Liberal government. The Province of Ontario is responsible for the distribution of cannabis. Ontarians can currently purchased cannabis online at the Ontario Cannabis Store and have it delivered by Canada Post.
Municipalities like Brampton that opted in to allow retail cannabis stores have limited control in where a store can be located. Financial incentives for additional policing are included for municipalities that are part of the first phase of the role out. According to a city spokesperson, the City of Brampton “is not privy to additional information about the proposed stores other than what has been made publicly available by the AGCO.”
The application process and licensing of private cannabis retail stores is managed by the AGCO. Please contact the AGCO for details of store applications.
Local Brampton businessman Clint Seukeran learned earlier in January that his company was 1 of the first 25 companies awarded the right to apply for a retail cannabis license. Mr. Seukeran’s company (CGS Foods) is listed as the application at 186 Main St. South.
Currently, the 186 Main Street South site is under renovations. It was listed for lease on Dec 4, 2018 and is no longer on the market. The building currently has a drive-thru lane, however, there is no indication if the drive-thru will be part of the retail build-out. Companies that are awarded a retail license are expected to be in operation by April 1st.
AGCO has a 15-day public notification period. You can provide input on the location of the store directly on the AGCO portal. The submission deadline for the 186 Main St. South location is February 21st.
AGCO also recently announced that employees of retail cannabis stores will be required to take a mandatory 4 hour online training course that was developed in part by MADD Canada.  The training “will provide prospective employees of all privately run cannabis retail stores the knowledge they will need to sell cannabis responsibly and in compliance with Ontario law.”
Follow the conversation on the Brampton Focus Facebook Discussion Group.
UPDATE: A reader informed us that there are a number of cannabis retail outlets already in operation in Brampton that purport to offer medicinal and recreational cannabis. The legality of these operations have not been verified. You can find a list at https://weedmaps.com/.
Northbound View at 186 Main Street South
