Chamber calls on Ford government to make Ontario ‘open for business’ — for pot

Seeing great economic potential with the legalization of cannabis in Canada, Peter Dyck and James Kotyuk launched a new business in Kingsville, True North Compassion.

The young entrepreneurs dream of an eventual bricks-and-mortar storefront, but they’re limited for now to word-of-mouth and online sales of “cannabis products,” including T-shirts, hats and other apparel, as well as information and advice on cannabis and healing.

Based on how well the black market is currently cashing in, however, they’re convinced there’s a huge, as-yet-untapped market out there for legal pot. The problem is that it’s close to impossible in Ontario currently for small entrepreneurs to venture into the legal pot retail sector.

“The whole thing has been handled terribly,” Windsor head shop owner Alex Newman said of how the provincial Tories rolled out pot retail since legalization six months ago. Aside from the online Ontario Cannabis Store, there are only a few private retail stores so far to serve the entire province, the closest one to Windsor being in London, a two-hour drive away.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is now calling on the province and Ottawa to cut red tape an expedite the application process to increase the number of licensed producers (for improved supply) and private retail outlets (for improved consumer access) “as quickly as possible.”

The Ontario government … definitely dropped the ball

The Doug Ford government has erected signs at the border and is changing vehicle licence plates to declare the province as “open for business,” but the voice of business in Ontario, in a report released Thursday, urges the province to recognize the potential and seize the “multibillion-dollar economic opportunity of recreational cannabis.”

Among the recommendations in the Supporting Ontario’s Budding Cannabis Industry report:

• move quicker on expanding private retail opportunities, including allowing licensed producers to sell directly to consumers;

• engage colleges and universities to work with the cannabis industry to identify skills needed and develop strategies to prepare students for employment opportunities;

• incorporate cannabis-related tourism in the upcoming Ontario Tourism Strategy;

• expand Health Canada’s capacity to license production facilities “at an accelerated rate;”

• invest in scientific research and public education on the health impacts of recreational cannabis use;

• implement stronger mandatory training for cannabis retail operators and employees, particularly with the anticipated approval in the fall of edibles, concentrates and extracts.

James Marcoux of The Urban GreenHouse in Windsor said he has “people walking in literally every day” with ideas and dreams of starting businesses for new products in the cannabis sector.

“But the process to get involved, it’s just too much for small business — the red tape is stifling,” said Marcoux, who is among about 17 vendors, including True North Compassion, who are showing off their products and services at this week’s three-day Epic 420 Festival in downtown Windsor. The Urban GreenHouse’s bread and butter is providing supplies for local gardeners and growers, but he sees huge local potential within an expanding cannabis sector.

“The way the Ontario government rolled out licensing for retail outlets — they definitely dropped the ball,” said Marcoux. His suggestion is for the province to develop packaging and testing protocols and then enforce those but let the private sector do the rest.

Epic 420 organizer Leo Lucier said he expected thousands of visitors to the downtown to visit the Charles Clark Square event. Some of the visitors, he added, are from out of town and staying in local hotels and eating in local restaurants.

“We do support this event,” said Brian Yeomans, chairman of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Area.

But it’s far too early to discuss cannabis tourism in Windsor, said Yeomans, who is a manager at two downtown hotels.

“Until we have a retail outlet here, I don’t think it’s the right time yet,” he said. “People aren’t going to come here and then order their online product here.”

Any cannabis tourism marketing done now, he said, and “you’re marketing for the black market.”

True North’s Peter Dyck said his business only has him and his partner for now but that the idea was to get started and then be ready for when the province opens up the cannabis marketplace.

“We see the future — we’re not going to jeopardize that now,” he said.

Related

• Windsor’s pot lovers hosting three-day downtown celebration
• Windsor far removed from nearest cannabis retail stores
• Jarvis: The cannabis shemozzle
• Scoring illegal pot is easy as Windsor experiences black market boom

St. Clair College has taken note of the recent rapid expansion of the cannabis sector in its backyard, particularly the large marijuana-producing greenhouses sprouting up in Leamington and Kingsville.

“We’ve had preliminary discussions with a few of the cannabis growers,” said John Fairley, vice-president of college and community relations.

“Where do we fit in? What do they need? There’s always potential in meeting the needs of our community,” he said.

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